Lifeskill,Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India

Centre for Women’s Development and Research
Life Skill and Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India (14480)
Update- December  2018

Last 3 months most of the time was spent on Educating public about the importance of eliminating child marriages and providing girl children’s education.  We have also continued our weekend workshops on life skill and sexuality education for adolescent girls. Computer skill training and supplementary education support for adolescent girl. Celebrated International girls children’s day on 11^th October 2018.  On 25^th November we have initiated 16 days campaign to eliminate violence against women and girls.  It will end on 10^th December 2018 that is on International Human Rights Day.

On 11^th October 2018 we have celebrated International Girl Children’s Day in 5 schools, different programmes were organized highlighting girl children’s education, Child rights, sexual reproductive health and rights for adolescent girls.  Nearly 800 girls participated in this programme. Despite increasing awareness about Child rights, child marriage and stringent laws to prevent and eliminate child marriages, child marriages and in Tamilnadu still exists and in spite of the belief that child marriages are happening only in villages, Chennai city leads the number of child marriages in Tamilnadu. Chennai reported 59 child marriages during 2017-18 but during 2015-16 it was only 38.  Most of the child marriages are not reported.  In Kannagi Nagar, one of the biggest slum resettlement area in south Asia.  Our working area child marriages are increasing.  So to educate the public and adolescent girls about the importance of eliminating child marriages and girl children’s education we have initiated a public campaign and advocacy activity. We have printed pamphlets about child marriages and laws related to that and ways of preventing it and distributed in more than 5000 houses in Kannagi nagar slums, we have also organized a signature campaign against child marriages.  While distributing pamphlets out field workers collected signatures demanding the government to implement the laws to eliminate child marriages and also provide proper sexual reproductive health services for girls and women and it was given to the concern ministry and departments.  A street rally and human chain was also organized at Kannagi Nagar on 27^th October 2018.

We have been continuing our life skill and sexuality education, organized regular weekend workshops for adolescent girls, 400 girls benefitted from these workshops. A group of 20 adolescent girls were trained in street plays and folk arts like songs, drum beating, dance, and these girls are involved in 16 days campaign to eliminated violence against women and girls. The campaign was initiated on 25^th November International day to eliminate violence against women and end on International Human Rights day on 10^th December 2018.  They performed street plays, organized cultural programmes, distributed pamphlets to educate public and get their support in advocacy to eliminate child marriages.  More than 10,000 people have reached so far.

We have also organized community level meetings mostly mothers to emphasis on girl children’ education and eliminating child marriages. Nearly 1500 women from 50 slums and 23 villages participated in these meetings.  During December we will start tuition classes for 10^th and 12^th standard girls who will attend their board examinations during March 2019.