Envisioning a better India

October 11 is celebrated globally as International Girl Child Day. Declared an international observance day in 2012 by the United Nations, it aims to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls' empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

Every year, Sachhi Saheli, a Delhi based NGO that works to spread awareness on menstruation and breaking taboos attached to it, celebrates International Girl Child Day on October 11 and bring together the efforts to ensure a society free of discrimination for girls. This year, while keeping in mind the restrictions placed due to COVID, Sachhi Saheli organised a virtual event for the students of Delhi schools.

With this year's theme as declared by UNICEF: 'My voice, our equal future', Sachhi Saheli organised a virtual slogan writing competition to write slogans around 'Girl Child's Rights, Nutrition and Education. The competition was organised in collaboration with Department of Education (DOE) Govt of NCT Delhi and Delhi State Legal Service Authority (DSLSA).

Sachhi Saheli received an overwhelming response of around 6000 entries from students of government and public schools across Delhi.

Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, speaking about the event, said, "I'd like to congratulate Sachhi Saheli for having organised this worthy program for students of Delhi and I am so happy to know both boys and girls participated in the competition with great enthusiasm. I was happy to see the vision that girls hold – for a safer and empowered India. This should be our collective vision and dream towards which we should work together as a nation."

Judge from Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) Namrata Agarwal while addressing the students who participated said, "I congratulate you all on your efforts and participation and encourage you to keep on becoming a part of such campaigns. Girls are shinning stars so they should always keep on shinning!"

Dr Surbhi Singh (President, Sachhi Saheli) also said, "I am ecstatic to learn that young talented children are able to express their thoughts so beautifully from their experiences and that they are developing their own ideology."

Top 20 slogans from each category were selected as winners of the competition. Their slogans were posted on social media handles of Sachhi Saheli and they were awarded with mobile recharge worth Rs. 499 to facilitate them in attending online classes.