HT Correspondent
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JORHAT, Jan 24: A drive to send postcards to state chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma by girls from 15 tea estates of Jorhat, Tinsukia and Lakhimpur to fulfill several demands related to education began on Tuesday to mark the National Girl Child Day and International Day of Education.
The postcard campaign is an initiative undertaken by Jorhat-based Purva Bharati Educational as part of the ‘Champions for Girls Education’, a network of organisations working with a larger goal to expand and improve education systems and increase gender sensitivity in education budgets at the secondary level and challenging discriminatory social norms.
An official of the Trust informed that the drive in which 3,000 girls are expected to participate will continue till January 31, has been carried out seeking a series of steps by the government to improve the education scenario of girl child.
The demands include extending Right to Education Act 2009 up to class XII level, timely availability and a simplified process of scholarships, safety and security within and outside school and the unavailability of teachers. Meanwhile, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Jorhat, on Tuesday in association with ‘Save The Child’ (Bal Raksha Bharat) and Social Welfare Department, Jorhat, observed the day by organising a meeting at Dufalating Natun Kokila ME School, Titabar, to sensitise the people on ensuring equal rights and opportunities to girl child.
DLSA secretary-cum-judicial officer Devojyoti Bhuyan and Prasanta Pratim Sharma, advocate, Jorhat Bar Association, speaking as resource persons, stressed upon the need for sensibility of the society in giving equal rights and opportunities to the girl child without any discrimination with the male counterpart. They stated laws meant for the rights and protection of the girl child.
Payal Borbora, gender specialist, Nivedita Mahanta, counsellor, District Child Protection Unit, Mriganka Bahak, district facilitator, ‘Save The Child’ and addressed the gathering on several issues of betterment of girl child, while Bijit Mahanta, Para Legal Volunteer, DLSA, assisted in organising the programme.
