By Kinjal Shah
UNFPA and Laadli and celebrated the International Day Of The Girl Childby raising voice for gender equality!
• UNFPA and Laadli organized The online event ‘My Voice and Our Equal Future’ and addressed different topics on Girl child equality, women empowerment, and more.
• Kathak Dance performance by 42 kids from Arpana’s Dance academy, Spoken Poetry recitation by Ramya Pandyan on Feminism, Stand-up comedy by Preeti Das, and a play by Manjul Bhardwaj and his team were the highlights of the event.
Mumbai, 14th October 2020: This International Day Of The Girl Child, Population First, and UNFPA hosted an online event themed ‘My Voice and Our Equal Future,’ which has addressed various topics like gender equality, girl child rights, violence, the importance of comprehensive Sexuality Education, Etc. The virtual event was live-streamed on UNFPA, UN, and Population First Facebook page on 13th October 2020. The recorded versions would be available on UNFPA and Population First YouTube Channels from 15th October onwards.
The conversations between young people and the heads of the three UN Organizations – UNFPA, Unicef, and UN for Women, explored how the world is changing and accepting the Girl child rights and how the youngsters want the to change in people’s mindset. Ms. Yasmin Ali Haque from Unicef, Ms.Argentina Matavel Piccin from UNFPA, and Ms. Nishtha Satyam, Representative UN Women, focused on how women and men should be equally treated and how men too can raise voice against discrimination and violence.
Dr. A L Sharada, Director, Population First, explained to Prittle Prattle News by sharing a press release, “We remain silent on the harmful projection of Sex and Sexuality in Popular media, and we also we shy away from giving strength to voices which give more balanced knowledge about sexuality. The voices of girls we hear are muted, muffled. We need to give voice to them, question and challenge the discrimination and violence against them that is so rampant. It is in this context that we had kept the topic ‘My Voice, our equal future.'”
Argentina Matavel Piccin- Representative, UNFPA INDIA, explained, “The issues of sexuality have always been in secrecy, and it is also visible in western culture, but gradually it started changing in the west. The change comes when the elders will start talking about it with their kids. They can transform the world for the better and society as a whole benefit. So on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child, we at UNFPA pledge our commitment to work for an EQUAL FUTURE, where the rights of girls are not up for debates or resolutions, but a given.”
Ms. Nishtha Satyam, the Representative UN Women, explained, “We all have dreams, and when we share our dreams with others, they laugh on us, and this is the moment where you know that you are going on the right track. But dreams are not to be fought alone, we should hold hands with the people who think the way we do, and in this fight, we should have both, girls and boys together. The change comes when we share our thoughts with our father, brother, and husband and try to make them understand that violence is physical and verbal through harsh words spoken. Raising a voice against discrimination will bring change in society.”
Ms. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNFPA Representative, “Women have a role to play in not accepting any form of violence. A parenting study conducted in a locality shows that children have spoken about 30 different types of violence they face starting from physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse, and many more, and this stops the creativity of the children and making them not to speak about such issues. We need to make a safe space where the girls can speak out about their problems and share them with us. We also have a helpline- 1098 for children to complain about the violence they face. So this kind of safe space we need to build where they can share their stories. Zero tolerance, safe spaces, and acting upon any violence, if these are addressed, then the world will be a better place for girls”.
The event had some power-packed performances by well-known artists like Spoken Poetry Artiste Ramya Pandyan, talking about topics like ‘Have you met my Feminism,’ ‘Super Woman,’ and ‘Goddess.’
Another performance was by Kathak dancer Arpana Rao with her 42 students from across the world, performing to the hymn on Maa Durga, and songs on the girl child and girls standing up for themselves.
There was also a light-hearted yet thought-provoking performance by Stand-up Comedian Preeti Das highlighting topics like body shaming, gender equality, Etc.
Another powerful performance by Manjul Bhardwaj and his team from the Theatre of Relevance (TOR) depicted women empowerment and the need to challenge the patriarchal mindsets that restrict, control, and devalue women.
