The Samiti in association with the Institute of Social Studies Trust (ISST), organized a two-day training programme on “Gender Training for Adolescent Girls under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” was organized from June 27-28, 2018 in Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat. The participants included adolescent girls of age group from 14-20 years of age from slum communities and resettlement colonies of Kalyanpuri and Trilokpuri areas.
The training programme was the part of an action based research project namely "Creating an enabling environment for realizing aspirations of adolescent girls in an urban slum". The objective of this project was to explore and understand the resources and opportunities that adolescent girls belonging to underprivileged families need to support their aspirations for life skills, education and careers. It focuses on enhancing the personal, family and community resources and capacities to support adolescent girls in meeting their aspirations. It includes free of cost support in education including Life skill training and counseling.
During the training, girls were made aware of gender-based discriminations in the society and trained to how to deal effectively with such issues. Also, the attempt was to make girls rethink their learned practices and socialization and make responsible decisions.
The girls were motivated to come forward together to form a better society and support each other. With the belief that such training enhances the self-confidence and critical thinking amongst girls, some vital issues of their lives were also discussed such as consent, self-respect and control over one’s own body.
The training was in the form of group participatory activity rather than just a classroom lecture format. The girls participated actively in the training and were reflective at the same time. Ms. Ankita working on issues of gender sensitization conducted the workshop.
Shri Rajdeep Pathak (Programme Executive, GSDS) on June 27, spoke on team-building as a necessary tool for active community participation. He conducted a practical session with the children and spoke on the art of listening that enables one to decide between right and wrong. Stating that Mahatma Gandhi always stressed the ability of the hands to work constructively for the welfare of the society, he called on the participants to develop their skills and upgrade their capacities.
