Shashi Panja releases UNICEF handbook on child development backed by religious texts

Kolkata: A handbook containing scientific messages for child development backed by religious texts and endorsed by faith leaders was released by state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare minister Shashi Panja on Monday.

The handbook prepared by UNICEF and Amanat Foundation, an NGO, will be used by religious leaders of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism to dispel misconceptions about child healthcare and spread awareness on nutrition, education and hygiene benchmarks, among others.

The handbooks in English, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu and Nepali languages are expected to make an effective contribution in garnering wider awareness in health, nutrition, education, child protection and water, sanitation and hygiene benchmarks that are essential for the well-being of children. Speaking at the release of the handbook, the minister said the project to prepare the handbook started two years ago by UNICEF and Amanat Foundation.

Panja said faith-based leaders will use the handbook of their religion to dispel misconceptions about polio and other vaccines given to children and pregnant women. Bengal has a high incidence of child marriage and as per the NFHS survey, nearly 41 per cent of the girls get married before turning 18. “We are urging the priests and maulvis who solemnise the marriages to encourage the society to get their daughters married after 18 years of age and boys after 21,” Panja said.

Drawing from his experience, Qadri Fazlur Rahman, Imam-e-Eidaian said that the incidence of polio came to zero in Murshidabad district after the intervention of religious leaders like him. “Nearly 60 per cent of the polio affected children in Murshidabad were from Muslim families as they avoided immunisation. It came down to zero when they immunised their little ones after we started campaigning,” he said.

UNICEF Bengal chief Mohammad Mohiuddin said the handbook will not only be used in Bengal, but by all the UNICEF offices across the country and also in the South Asian countries.