New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched ‘Ahimsa Messenger’ or women empowerment programme. The event was presided over by Krishna Tirath, Minister, Women and Child Development in the presence of V. Kishore Chandra Deo Minister, Panchayati Raj and Tribal Affairs and J. P. Agarwal, Member of Parliament. Nearly 30,000 girls from Delhi NCR who have benefitted under the Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls or SABLA were present at the event.
Speaking at the launch function, Sonia Gandhi said that the Ahimsa Messenger is directly related to the safety and empowerment of women. They will spread awareness and knowledge about their legal rights and their economic and social growth as well as their safety and dignity in the society. The Ahimsa ‘doots’ (messengers) will be trained to empower them, she said. A unique feature of this programme is that adolescent boys have also been made an integral part of this programme, Smt. Gandhi added. She said that first some women from the Anganwadis will be trained to become Ahimsa messengers.
Ms Gandhi further stated that women’s empowerment will not come by only announcing policies or enacting laws. It is also important that the laws and policies get implemented effectively at the grassroots level, she noted. It is necessary that the mindset of the society needs to be changed, Smt. Gandhi stated. Giving up conservative thinking and to accord equal status to women in the society is a big challenge, she said. She further added that a societal revolution is necessary to bring about gender equality in the society, and it is the responsibility of all women that the first step for this should be started from our very homes.