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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Invest in Girls' Education to Break Cycle of Poverty: UNICEF

Invest in Girls' Education to Break Cycle of Poverty: UNICEF

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published Published on Nov 9, 2013   modified Modified on Nov 9, 2013
-Outlook


New Delhi: Investing in education of girls, especially the most marginalised, is required to make progress on most social indicators in India, according to UNICEF.

To mark the second International Day of the Girl Child, UNICEF today organised a meeting with top Urdu editors in the capital.

Speaking at the event, Urmila Sarkar, Chief of Education UNICEF, said, "Innovation in girls education will be instrumental to female empowerment and breaking the cycle of poverty and deprivation."

The focus of the meeting was on the crucial role that media can play to create a sustained discourse and highlight innovations that get more girls to school, keep them in school and improve the quality of learning for all children.

In India, the number of out-of-school children stands at 8.1 million, of which 4.5 million are girls. For every 100 boys enrolled, 88 girls are enrolled in secondary school. The main causes of school dropout among girls are child marriage and child labour, the UNICEF said.

Giving examples of how communities have arranged for safe school transport for girls in hard-to-reach areas from Udaipur, Rajasthan, Sarkar stressed on innovation in girls education and highlighted the importance of gender sensitisation.

"Teachers who have undergone gender sensitisation training have made a significant difference for adolescent girls in schools," she said.

The conference was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University Mohammed Miyan and Director General, Doordarshan News, S M Khan.

The participants shared examples of how technology coupled with media outreach, has increased access to education for out-of-school girls and improved the quality of learning for every child.

They urged Urdu media to dedicate media space and build capacities of reporters to highlight issues and innovations in education, especially of girls.

Civil society representatives from Shikhar, Prof Rihan Khan Suri and Ambarish Rai of the RTE Forum spoke on how civil society efforts can build on the momentum created by a conducive educational policy framework and ensure that girls have access to quality learning environments.

Three Union ministers G K Vasan, V Narayanasamy and Jayanthi Natarajan have publicly opposed the Prime Minister's participation in the summit.

The External Affairs Ministry headed by Salman Khurshid has, however, been favouring Singh's presence in the CHOGM scheduled on November 15, maintaining that it was vital as it will reflect India's interests. It is also paramount to the nation's strategic and security interests, the MEA feels.

The MEA officials are also keen that the Prime Minister takes the opportunity to visit Northern Province where India has given lot of assistance.

Chief Minister of Northern Provincial Council C V Vigneswaran has already written to Singh, inviting him to Jaffna and expressed his gratitude for Indian assistance.

The issue was discussed on October 30 by the Core Group and Union Ministers P Chidambaram and A K Antony are learnt to have suggested that the PM should not visit Colombo to attend the meet.

Congress has so far refused to take a stand in public on the politically-sensitive issue.

The party has said it will back whatever decision the Prime Minister takes on India's participation in the summit keeping in mind national interests.

At the AICC briefing, Congress spokesperson Randip Singh Surjewala said,"a decision will be taken keeping in mind the interests of Tamils in Sri Lanka, the overwhelming opinion expressed for and against by the political parties in Tamil Nadu and strategic and national interests of the country, the view of the newly-elected Chief Minister of Tamil-majority province."

Besides, Surjewala said, human rights "violations" in Sri Lanka have been a "matter of serious and grave concern" for Tamils in India.

"To ensure more participatory democracy and devolution of powers to the elected Tamils and ensuring justice and transparency have been the policy of the government of India", he said adding all these factors will be taken into account when the Prime Minister takes a call.

Replying to a question whether foreign policy of the country could be a state-centric, he said "national interest is paramount. It is above all. The Prime Minister will decide appropriately."

BJP also expressed concern over the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils but remained non- committal on whether Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should attend the CHOGM Summit in Colombo.

"We are watching the developments closely," a BJP source said as the party chief Rajnath Singh held detailed deliberations on the issue with party leaders from Tamil Nadu, who demanded that the party should put pressure on the government that prime minister should not attend the CHOGM.

Though BJP has virtually no stakes in Tamil Nadu politics,

it does not want to antagonise the state parties and the people ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, sources said.

BJP is also in touch with AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa and is hopeful that the party will join the NDA after the polls if the coalition is in a position to form the government.

CPI MP D Raja also demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should not attend the CHOGM Summit in Colombo because it would go against strong public opinion in Tamil Nadu.


Outlook, 8 November, 2013, http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=816605


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