– Dipti Ranjan Mohanty

11 October has been a global moment to celebrate the power of girls and highlight the discrimination they endure since the United Nations adopted it as International Day of the Girl in 2011.

The International Day of the Girl (IDG) 2019 was celebrated by CYSD in 10 Gram Panchayats of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha. The key objective of this event was to bring changes in the norms and attitude of GPs to promote justice for girls and young women’s education, economic empowerment and gender equality. As many as 473 girls along with 150 community members including parents, PRI member and community leaders actively involved in this event.  PRIs are the local self-governance bodies responsible for preparing the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) which makes provision for the well-being of children, young people, and adults in the village. Thus, ten selected girl child leaders took over the position of PRI Leader (Sarpanch) at their respective Panchayats on this special occasion with the aim to raise awareness, begin a meaningful process with stakeholders and create lasting change. Girl Child leaders from different villages came forward to celebrate the event at their respective panchayats. The PRI members also felt very happy and helped the girls celebrate this event at each Panchayat meeting hall with the facilitation of CYSD program team members. The PRI members, parents, and girls put banners and standees depicting slogan `Girls Get Equal’ and encouraged girl child leaders to take over the responsibility of Gram Panchayat. After sharing the key objectives of the event, respective GP Sarpanch declared the girl child leader’s name (chosen by girls) to take over the chair of Sarapanch with a warm welcome (offering a cap and badge). The PRI leaders also urged the girl child leaders to start proceeding with their function as Sarpanch of the GP.  

The girl PRI leader of the day started the sessions with a warm welcome note to girls, parents and other community members. Then she shared the key objectives of the IDG celebration and steered the discussion on the key issues of that village, like women’s violation, girl’s rights/entitlements and gave some concrete suggestions. The assembled PRI members, girl representatives & their parents and community members were overwhelmed with the meeting process and got sensitized on different issues raised by the girls, women, and parents. While culminating the event, the girl participants painted equal signs on their cheeks to give a message `Girls Get Equal’. All the participants took an oath to create a safe and enabling environment for girls and women in their villages. In the process, the key issues highlighted by the girls and women members were noted and based on which Panchayat wise clear action points were drawn.