Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Monday stoked a potential controversy with her remark that all violence is <g data-gr-id="53">“male-generated”,</g> while underscoring the “critical” role of men in creating gender sensitivity.
She said her ministry was working on a concept of ‘Gender Champions’ in schools, under which boys
would be chosen for being “particularly respectful and helpful” to girls and given prizes.
In a live chat with users on Facebook, Gandhi called for increased participation from men in creating gender sensitivity as they are male-generated. “Men’s role is the most critical since all violence is male-generated. One of the ways to tackle this is at the school stage. So, we have started something, which will go into effect in a few months, called ‘Gender Champions’, under which boys will be chosen who have been particularly respectful and helpful to girls and deserve to be emulated and rewarded,” she said.
The minister added: “Prizes will be given to a person in each class annually. It can also be given to a girl who has been outstanding in her bravery or attitude etc.”
The interaction was part of the ministry’s effort to enhance participation for its ‘100 Women Initiative’ to recognise <g data-gr-id="18">women</g> achievers. Gandhi said India needed a new school every seven minutes in order to give quality education to slum children.
Min to launch district panels for domestic violence victims
To check the rising cases of crime against women, the <g data-gr-id="86">Women</g> and Child Development Ministry has decided to launch district-level welfare committees across the country to establish a mechanism of immediate assistance for the victims of domestic violence. The committees will act as a <g data-gr-id="62">designate</g> authority to help women who face assault or cruelty by family members, a senior ministry official said.