Pledge Against Child Marriage to Resonate in 84 Schools
Kahalgaon/Bhagalpur: As part of the ongoing efforts by the Bihar government to promote women's empowerment and eradicate social evils, a significant meeting was held in the Kahalgaon subdivision regarding the 'Shakti Samvad' (Empowerment Dialogue) campaign. The primary objective of this meeting was to devise a strategy to root out the grave social evil of child marriage from the region and to raise awareness among female students regarding their rights.
Highlights of the Meeting and Action Plan
The meeting held in the Kahalgaon subdivision saw participation from officials and representatives of various departments. It was decided that on July 11, comprehensive awareness programs will be conducted under this campaign across the region.
Key Strategies of the Campaign:
Pledge in 84 Schools: A total of 84 schools have been selected under the campaign, including 34 in Kahalgaon, 31 in Pirpainti, and 19 in Sanhaula. In all these schools, students will be administered a formal pledge against child marriage.
Medium of Awareness: To make this initiative effective, competitions involving drama, songs, dance, and painting will be organized in the schools. Prior to this, painting competitions were held on July 9 and 10, and an awareness rally (Prabhat Pheri) was conducted on July 10 to inform the public.
Health and Nutrition: The Health Department has also been integrated into the campaign. To prioritize the health of female students, iron supplements will be distributed to them, and hemoglobin screening tests will be conducted.
Formation of Coordination Teams: A six-member coordination team is being formed at the block level to ensure monitoring and implementation at the grassroots level. Furthermore, 84 female officers have been invited as chief guests for this campaign to boost the morale of the female students.
Strict Stance of the Administration
The administration has geared up to impose a complete ban on child marriage. During the meeting, directives were issued to Block Development Officers (BDOs) to hold separate meetings with priests (Pandits), Qazis, and operators of marriage halls. They will be mandated to ensure that the ages of the bride and groom are formally verified at the time of marriage, and they will be required to sign bonds in this regard.
Objective of the Campaign
The core mantra of the 'Shakti Samvad' campaign is to empower women and female students. This is not just a battle against child marriage; through this, information regarding various government welfare schemes is being directly conveyed to them. The presence of the District Magistrate at the main event to be held at Sharda Pathshala in Kahalgaon is expected to give a new direction to the campaign.
Thus, this initiative by Kahalgaon is a major step toward social transformation, aimed at providing a safer and more empowered future for the next generation.
