Kunariya is the first village in the whole of India to form the first Balika Panchayat. An election was conducted. All girls within the age group of 10-21 years cast their vote, with the help of their Aadhar cards. The Sarpanch was elected and a Balika Panchayat body was formed. Meetings were conducted in the different wards by the Balika Panchayat.
The Panchayat body worked for the education, health, entertainment, sports and livelihood for the girls of the village.
A food competition was organized, with the aim of teaching the girls about the various nutrients they gain from different food items and its related importance.
Education initiatives: -Awareness campaigns were conducted by the Balika Panchayat. (During the onset of mensuration, many girls dropout from schools. To combat this problem, the Balika Panchayat conducted awareness campaigns.)
- Anganwadi workers were asked to prioritize the classrooms to be a learning space for the children.
- A back to school campaign was conducted in which the children had a clean school to come to every new year.
-The vegetable seller was also asked to spread the message of the school reopening date so that the parents and children become aware of it.
-Every year, a facilitation programme for the girls of the village was constructed.
-The street is named after the most educated girl in that locality.
Entertainment initiatives
The Panchayat arranged a space for the girls to play cricket and as a result, the girls now even play cricket at night. The girls also have projectors, smart tv and a library.
The campaign of “Ghar ki Pehchan, Beti ke naam” where the name plate of the house was that of the girl child in that household.
Livelihood Initiative:
A survey was conducted and artisan cards were made for them and SHG groups were made. As a result, availability of loans was made easier. Many classes were also conducted, such as tailoring, beauty parlour course, small scale manufacturing of soaps and shampoos, agarbattis etc.
This allows them to take care of their needs, the household needs to a certain extent and also contribute to the family in terms of income generation that creates a space for them to have more of an equal say in decision making.
Personal finance was also incorporated into the trainings for women. Security Initiatives:
-Karate classes were started to incorporate the basics of self-defence. - A legal help desk was also set up with the help of KMVS.
Current campaign:
Balika Panchayat, Gram Panchayat and SETU Abhiyan is currently conducting a campaign where the girls are trained and made aware about their rights and duties as citizens. The Gram Panchayat has allocated 1 lakh for the Balika Panchayat, and has created a space for them during their discussions and meetings.
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