Governor MC Bhandare releases posters on rights of the girl child at a programme in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 25: On the occasion of National Girl Child Day, a state-level programme titled Dignity of the Girl Child was organised by city-based NGO Sansristi last evening. Hundreds of girls from across the city participated in the programme, which was inaugurated by governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare.

Bhandare spoke extensively on the need to safeguard the interests of the girl child and empower her through education. “A girl is not only an asset to the family, but also to the entire society. It is not just the duty of the state government but also the community at large to protect her rights and dignity. Unless that is done, girls may face exploitation at the hands of unscrupulous elements,” he said.

Bhandare stressed the importance of education by reading out Oriya slogans before the amused crowd.

“Education leads to awareness which in turn leads to emancipation,” he said. He also released some posters that read “Samaja ra heu slogan, oua-jhia sarbe samaan” (Boys and girls are equals, let this be our slogan).

He also presented cash awards to three students — Rabindra Patra, Lipsa Boral and Priyadarshini Das — who had secured the first, second and third positions respectively at a debate competition held recently. The theme of the competition was Dignity of Girl Child.

Along with Sansristi’s chairperson, Asha Hans and secretary, Amrita Patel, the chairperson of the child rights commission, Saraswati Hembram also addressed the gathering. Hans said the sex ratio in the country was skewed and there were only 925 girls to every 1,000 boys. “Although Orissa is doing slightly better, it is yet to reach a satisfactory point. It is very important that girls should be treated as equal citizens of this country,” Hans said.