Colleges and Universities to appoint Gender Champions as per notification by MoWCD

New Delhi,

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched in January, 2015 to address the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women empowerment over a life-cycle continuum. It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development. There is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitization, awareness raising and community mobilization on ground.In order to move towards a gender just society that treats women equally, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, have envisaged Gender Champions as responsible leaders who will facilitate an enabling environment within their schools/colleges/academic institutions where girls are treated with dignity and respect. Gender Champions aim to make young boys and girls gender sensitive and create positive social norms which value the rights of women and girls. UGC has already notified the guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and has issued notifications to Colleges and Universities to appoint Champions. As per report of the UGC, 150 Universities and 230 colleges have initiated implementation of the Scheme.

The Gender Budgeting Scheme was also launched by the Ministry in the year 2008 for conducting trainings/workshops, capacity building measures, research surveys, etc. Under the Scheme inter alia, the Ministry undertakes many programmes as well as provides financial support to Central/ State Government agencies in order to strengthen the process of gender budgeting. The training programmes are focused on increasing awareness about the need and importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting. Gender Budgeting undertakes Training programmes on GB with the collaboration of WCD Department of State Governments, National Level Training Institutions, Administrative Training Institutes & State Institute of Rural Developments.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is also extensively tackling gender issue with innovative media campaigns and programmes through print, electronic and social media. Under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao initiative, the Ministry has undertaken numerous media campaigns (print, electronic and radio) to increase the awareness regarding girl child. It endeavours to change mindsets towards girls through impactful films and TVCs on various issues like gender awareness, sex selection, equal opportunities etc. In syncronisation with International Women’s Day, the Ministry undertook a dedicated campaign (#WeAreEqual) with the objective to raise the consciousness of society towards women so that she can be valued, respected and recognised as equal.

This information was given by Minister for State for Women and Child Development, Smt Krishna Raj