Day and Date: Friday 11th October, 2024
Event: Session on International Girl Child Day
Theme: Save the Girl Child
Collaborating Organisations: MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research, Chembur and Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC)
Venue: Zoom
SDG: SDG#5 Gender Equality
On 11th October 2024, Women Development Cell of MES’s Pillai College of Education and Research (PCER), Chembur, in collaboration with Soroptimist Welfare Association (SIBC), organized an insightful session on the theme “Save the Girl Child.” The session, held at 5:00 pm, was conducted by Ms. Gia Alvares, Program and Outreach Officer at the Red Dot Foundation and a representative of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN-ECOSOC). The session was part of an ongoing effort to raise awareness about gender equality, child protection, and creating safer environments for girls and women.
Ms. Gia Alvares began the session by introducing the mission of Red Dot Foundation, which focuses on empowering women and addressing sexual violence through initiatives like Safecity. Safecity encourages women and girls to report sexual harassment in public spaces. Ms. Alvares discussed the serious issue of child sexual abuse, explaining both physical and non-physical forms and some common myths about child sexual abuse were also discussed. She highlighted the POCSO Act, its legal protections, and how to file a report.
The session highlighted on the importance of gender equality, the need for safer environments for girls, and the crucial role of teachers in fostering a supportive atmosphere for the girl child. The discussions on issues like child sexual abuse, legal protections under the POCSO Act, and the Safecity initiative provided valuable insights for student teachers on how to promote safety and empowerment for girls in schools and communities.
