HT Correspondent
TEZPUR, Dec 30: An awareness programme under the 100-Day Special Awareness Campaign for Bal Vivaah Mukt Bharat (BVMB) was held on Tuesday at the DC Conference Hall, Sonitpur. The initiative was organised by the District Hub for Empowerment of Women (DHEW), Department of Women and Child Development in association with the District Administration.
The programme was chaired by District Commissioner Ananda Kumar Das and attended by CEO, Sonitpur Zilla Parishad Jayanta Kumar Borah and District Social Welfare Officer Rubi Kalita. Principals and Headmasters of high and higher secondary schools, Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and other district-level officials participated.
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Sessions focused on child marriage prevention, child protection mechanisms and legal safeguards for women and children. Participants were sensitised about the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, including the formation of Internal Committees in schools and workplaces and the use of the SHE-Box portal for online complaint redressal. The ongoing campaign “Suroxito Xaishab, Sonali Axom” was also highlighted.
Resource persons included Abha Borah, Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, Sonitpur; Dipu Bhuyan, Deputy Chief Legal Aid Defence Counsel under DLSA and Rajib Gohain, who elaborated on child rights, legal provisions, institutional responsibilities and available support systems. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials were distributed to two schools initially with plans to reach all 112 designated schools and ICDS projects in the district.
A collective pledge against child marriage was taken by all participants, reaffirming their commitment to ensure the safety, education and well-being of children. Participants were also briefed on important helpline services, including Tele-MANAS Helpline 14416, Women Helpline 181 and Child Helpline 1098 and urged to disseminate the information widely.
The programme concluded with a call for strengthened coordination among schools, ICDS functionaries and district officials to proactively identify vulnerabilities and work together towards a Bal Vivaah Mukt Bharat.
