Govt to launch prog to create awareness about gender issues

In the wake of spate of violence against women and children, the government has conceptualised a programme to empower women against violence.
The 'Ahimsa Messenger' programme, conceived by the Women and Child Development ministry, aims at preventing violence against the fairer sex and children and generating awareness about basic legal rights, procedures and provisions among them at the grassroot level, officials said today.
The project would be launched here tomorrow by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, they said, adding that the event will be presided over by WCD Minister Krishna Tirath in the presence of Panchayati Raj and Tribal Affairs minister V Kishore Chandra Deo and J P Agarwal, Member of Parliament.

Under the programme, the ministry will launching a nationwide campaign to deal with the problem of violence against women. It will designate women from across the country as 'ahimsa messengers', who will spread awareness about gender issues and facilitate community mobilisation against social evils.
The 'ahimsa messengers' would also serve as link workers in case of any violence and facilitate the victim to approach the authorities concerned for suitable redressal and follow up on the case.
The programme envisages creating women and child friendly environment in villages through community participation, especially of local leaders, adolescent boys, opinion makers and village elders.

This programme will be implemented through Anganwadi centres and Panchayati Raj institutions.