Women and Child Development Department organises the Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat awareness campaign.

Namchi, November 28(IPR): Women and Child Development Department organised an awareness programme on Gender Sensitisation also the campaign for Child Marriage free India as “Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat” under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, at 54 Borong Phamtam GPk, Namchi, today.
Present during the programme were Ms Anjana Sharma Zilla Panchayat Rallang Borong (T) as a chief guest, Mr Norbu Lepcha CDPO (Ravangla), Mr Laxman Tamang CDPO (Namchi), Ms Sophia Lepcha AD (Nutrition), Ms Pema Bhutia DCPO, Ms Binita Sharma Health Counsellor (Ravangla), Ms Lhasang Tamang DEO, along with panchayat members, district coordinator and staff of women and child development department, SHGs, Anganwadi, ICDs and 54 Borong Phamtam GPK members.
Ms Anjana Sharma Zilla Panchayat , led the pledge against child marriage and also facilitated the girl infants and then encouraged the staffs and public for organising the awareness programme and public for their volunteer participations.
She also kindly asked the public to respect and wholeheartedly embrace the pledge, encouraging everyone to speak out against harmful societal practices.
Ms Sophia Lepcha AD (Nutrition) discussed Gender Sensitization during her address, emphasizing the importance of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao. This ongoing campaign has been running across the district from November 26 to 29.
Futher, she elaborated that the campaign was first launched on 22 January 2015 in Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan with the purpose of combating gender bias and the BBBP campaign endeavors to rectify gender disparities by emphasizing the importance of safeguarding and educating girls. By promoting equal value for girls and boys within communities, the initiative strives to challenge prevailing norms and pave the way for girls to flourish and make meaningful contributions to the country’s progress.
Ms Pema Bhuita DCPO Ravangla, eloquently discussed legislative rights concerning the well-being of girls, teenage pregnancies, and key Acts such as Posco and SADA Acts. She also highlighted the importance of the Guardianship Act for orphans and provided a thorough explanation of the Child Adoption process.
Additionally, she elaborated on the hierarchy and distribution of tasks from the grassroots level up to the secretary level which aids in efficiently assigning legal processing for documents and serves as a preventive measure against any potential disruptions and losses in the future.
Dr. Binita Sharma Health Counsellor Ravangla, emphasized the impact of an early marriages on the mental health of women.
She discussed the risks that women may face due to their underdeveloped and developing bodies when getting married at the legal ages of 18 highlighting that these ages may not be optimal for childbearing, especially since adolescence is not an ideal time for childbirth.
She also touched upon the topic of mental health, noting that while physical illnesses are easily recognized, mental illnesses are more difficult to identify and comprehend. Unfortunately, this lack of understanding makes mental health issues more perilous, especially since society tends to view these sensitive matters harshly.She encouraged everyone to become gatekeepers for society, facilitating the management of difficult issues effortlessly.
Ms Lhasang Tamang DEO Anganwadi, shared details about the Pregnancy Aids scheme supported by the Center, which offers financial assistance to mothers expecting their first or second child. Financial aid for the second pregnancy is only available if the child is a girl in this particular case. She engaged in a highly interactive session with the audience to address any uncertainties they might have had.
It is worth noting that emergency helpline numbers have been provided, with 181 dedicated to domestic violence and 1098 for child protection.