Empowering Girls: Shakti Samvad Campaign Launched in Bhagalpur on World Population Day
Bhagalpur, July 11: On the occasion of World Population Day, the sub-district of Kahalgaon organized a grand ‘Shakti Samvad’ campaign aimed at the overall development, safety, and empowerment of girls. This initiative is a significant step towards making girls aware, confident, and self-reliant through dialogue.
Programs were held simultaneously across all 84 higher secondary schools in the sub-district. Female officials engaged with students as chief guests, discussing vital topics such as education, health, women’s safety, menstrual hygiene, nutrition, mental health, cyber safety, career guidance, skill development, economic independence, and the eradication of child marriage.
Sunita Sharma, Deputy Director of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in Bhagalpur, addressed the students, emphasizing that education, confidence, and self-reliance are women’s greatest strengths. She urged the students to be aware of their rights, dream big, and become pioneers of positive change in society.
The sub-district officer of Kahalgaon stated that ‘Shakti Samvad’ is not just a program but a people’s movement for creating a safe, educated, and dignified future for daughters.
During the campaign, over 5,000 students underwent hemoglobin (HB) testing, while more than 8,000 students took an oath against child marriage and consumed iron (IFA) tablets. This initiative is a crucial step towards building a healthy and empowered Bihar.
To effectively eliminate child marriage, the sub-district officer has formed a coordinated team in each block led by the Block Development Officer (BDO). This team includes Child Development Project Officers (CDPO), Block Education Officers (BEO), Block Welfare Officers (BWO), female supervisors, child protection officers, and other relevant officials. All members have been provided with standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Additionally, each school is appointing ‘Child Marriage Prohibition Teachers’ and ‘Assistant Teachers’ who will play a vital role in raising awareness among students and reporting suspicious cases to the administration.
Special teams have also been formed at the school and panchayat levels to enhance the effectiveness of this campaign through public participation. During the event, students and attendees took an oath against child marriage, pledging to prevent this social evil within their families, communities, and panchayats.
Students conveyed impactful messages about the eradication of child marriage and women’s empowerment through plays, songs, and cultural performances. The sub-district officer of Kahalgaon stated that the goal is not just to enforce the law but to create a society where every daughter is educated, healthy, safe, confident, and self-reliant, with equal opportunities to realize her dreams.
The administration has appealed for active participation from all sections of society in this public campaign, stating that when a daughter is empowered, a family, a society, and a nation become empowered.
