Girl Empowerment and Child Welfare Take Center Stage on National Girl Child Day
Visakhapatnam: State women, child and tribal welfare minister Gummadi Sandhya Rani emphasised the empowering power of girls during the National Girl Child Day celebrations held in Parvathipuram Manyam district on Saturday stressing that girls are not a burden but powerful tools of societal change.
Speaking at the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao programme organised by the women development and child welfare department, the minister highlighted the initiatives aimed at girl child empowerment and welfare.
The minister highlighted several key initiatives calling for an end to child marriages and urging parents to prioritise education over early marriage. She warned about potential health risks associated with underage marriages and emphasised the importance of protecting girls’ rights and meeting their needs.
Recognising the high rates of anemia in the district, the minister promoted nutritious diets and distributed Amrutha food kits to pregnant women and those suffering from anemia.
She also committed to bringing the HPV vaccination programme to the Chief Minister’s attention to protect teenage girls against cervical cancer.
Local leaders, including government whip T. Jagadeswari and Palakonda MLA Nimmaka Jayakrishna, reinforced the minister’s message by emphasising the elimination of gender discrimination and the critical importance of education. District collector A. Shyam Prasad further underscored this point, stating that education is the fundamental pathway to success, regardless of a girl’s future aspirations, whether as a homemaker, academician, industrialist or politician.
The event showcased concrete steps towards supporting girls and women, including the distribution of laptops to students, financial assistance for orphaned children and a commitment to provide essential infrastructure like drinking water and toilet facilities in schools and hostels.
