The government of Madhes state has launched the 'Safe Girls' program in 8 municipalities of Rautahat and Sarlahi. The Safe Girls program, which focuses on empowering girls, prevention of sexual violence and sexuality education, will be conducted for four years.
The Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare of the state organized a program in Janakpur on Tuesday and launched the Safe Girls program. Sports and Social Welfare Minister Pramod Jaiswal said that Madhes state government has launched many programs targeting women, teenagers and girls.
"Educate the daughter, save the daughter, and other programs are in operation," Minister Jaiswal said, "we are also starting the Beti Zindabad campaign". The Safe Girls program will eliminate the problems faced by the girls of Madhes. He also said that the development of the society is not possible unless the girls and women are educated, aware and safe.
With the help of donor agency United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Good Nevers International and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Madhes state government will spend 2 million dollars in 4 years for the Safe Girls program. Madhes Province Coordinator of UNFPA, Narendra Mishra, said that the Safe Girls program has been introduced to create a safe and supportive environment for girls and young women.
At the launching ceremony of the Safe Girls program, COICA director Muhen Kong and UNFPA resident representative Won Young Hong said that since the problems related to girls and women are more in Madhes than in other provinces of Nepal, the Self Girls program will help to solve all those problems .
Home, Communications and Law Minister Rajkumar Lekhi and Education and Culture Minister Rani Kumari Tiwari argued that women and girls are facing discrimination, violence and problems because of education. "Problems related to women and girls will be solved only by increasing investment in education," Education Minister Tiwari said.
