BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to sensitise rural women about their rights, legal schemes and protection mechanism, the State Commission for Women (SCW) today rolled out “Chalo Gaon Ki Ore.” Unveiled by National Commission for Women (NCW), “Chalo Goan Ki Ore” aims at empowering every rural woman by way of massive awareness campaigns.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who formally kickstarted the campaign at a function here, called for elimination of the social diseases that the women face today. “Women can fight poverty, superstition, exploitation, violence as well as illiteracy when they are empowered and exercise their rights,” said Naveen.
To empower women in Orissa, he said, his Government has announced 50 per cent reservation for them in the PRIs and 44 lakh women have been linked through SHGs under Mission Shakti.
Under “Chalo Gaon Ki Ore” campaign, women will be educated about the Central and State Government schemes meant for social and economic uplift. Issues like how women can access free legal aid and fight violence will be propagated as part of the initiative, Chairperson of SCW Jyoti Panigrahy said. Health issues such as HIV/AIDS, discrimination and stigma, cultural as well as social taboos that women encounter while exercising their rights will also be covered under the campaign.
Besides, Right To Information (RTI) Act and how women can make use of it to know and assert their rights will be stressed. Rural women, those belonging to SC/ST categories, minority communities and backward classes, will be the target of the campaign.
Woman and Child Development Minister Pramila Mallik, State Disability Commissioner Kasturi Mohapatra and Director, Social Welfare, Sujata Kartikeyan spoke.