The Utkal University organised a two-day online conference from October 12 to 13 in collaboration with the Save the Children, India to mark the International Girl Child Day.The webinar was based on adolescent wellbeing with special focus on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) in the times of Covid pandemic.
Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti Minister Tukani Sahu shared a message that said, “Adolescence is the most sensitive and vulnerable phase in every child’s life.
Girls in general face many social, mental, physical and emotional challenges during this period. Their issues need to be addressed very sensibly and the State Government is very much committed towards upliftment, empowerment and creating an equal society for the girls.”W and CD and Mission Shakti Principal Secretary Dr Anu Garg said “Odisha has approximately 40 lakh adolescents. The State Government has taken up various programmes to empower them,” said Dr Garg.
Talking about the deep-rooted patriarchy and cultural conditions that exists in the society, Vice-Chancellor Soumendra Mohan Patnaik said, "Intellectual autonomy and individual uniqueness is not desirable in the patriarchal sense and it not only affects development of girl child but also results in low levels of participation in formal and informal economy."The university has started a rural outreach programme under RUSA 2.0 in nine districts with a goal of making girls economically and culturally self-reliant and also making them gender neutral spaces.
Among others, Health and Family Welfare Ministry Deputy Commissioner Dr Zoya Ali Rizvi, UNFPA State Programme Coordinator Dr Deepa Prasad, and Save the Children youth advocate Shalini and Director Anindit Roy Chowdhury spoke.
Utkal University Asst Prof Priyanka Khurana proposed a vote of thanks.