Govt's responsibility to create better world for girl - child -
Minister
Nipuni Wimalapala
The state mechanism to ensure the girl-child's protection within the
society will be further strengthened, since it is the government's
responsibility to create a better world for the girl child, Child
Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadda said.
He was addressing the International Girl Child's Day ceremony at the
BMICH held under First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa's patronage.
The ceremony was organised by the Child Development and Women's
Affairs Ministry under the theme 'You are our daughter' ( Oba Ape
Diyaniyai).
"We take the responsibility for the work done by our women
development officers, child rights promotion officers and early
childhood development officers spread countrywide. Our ultimate target
is to nurture the girl child's life providing a free childhood with
love, protection and care without letting them subject to any type of
gender based discrimination," the minister said.
"The society should consider the girl-child as an asset who needs to
be properly cared for. There should be no room for child marriages,
early pregnancies, child mothers and abuse, rape or assault on girls,"
he said. Dr Subangi Herath, attached to the Sociology Department of the
Colombo University, said the main objective of declaring a separate day
for the girl child is to recognise girls' rights and the unique
challenges girls face around the woron and care without letting them subject to any type of
gender based discrimination," the minister said.
"The society should consider the girl-child as an asset who needs to
be properly cared for. There should be no room for child marriages,
early pregnancies, child mothers and abuse, rape or assault on girls,"
he said. Dr Subangi Herath, attached to the Sociology Department of the
Colombo University, said the main objective of declaring a separate day
for the girl child is to recognise girls' rights and the unique
challenges girls face around the world.
"It is also to recognise girls' right to equal opportunities and
fundamental freedoms with regard to many aspects of life. The
international day will promote equal treatment and opportunities for
girls in areas such as law, nutrition, healthcare, education, training
and freedom from violence," he said.
The United Nations declared October 11 as the International Day of
the Girl Child.
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