Five girls in Haridwar got an opportunity to experience district administration firsthand on the International Day of the Girl Child, as they took on the role of district magistrate for a day under an initiative promoting girls’ empowerment and gender equality.
The programme was organised by Mamta-HIMC, an associate organisation under the Parivartan Model School Project, supported through the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of Relaxo Footwears Limited. District Magistrate Mayur Dixit provided the girls with the opportunity to observe administrative work and participate in public hearings.
During the visit, the girls joined Additional District Magistrate Vaibhav Gupta at a public hearing, where they listened to people’s grievances and offered suggestions on various issues. They later shared their experiences with Gupta and said they would use what they had learned to raise awareness about girls’ education and gender equality in their respective communities.
Gupta encouraged the girls to work consistently towards their goals and become positive examples for others. The group also visited the district disaster control room with District Disaster Management Officer Meera Rawat. There, they learned how the control room operates and how officials coordinate relief and rescue efforts during emergencies.
Awareness Activities Across 44 Schools
As part of the International Day of the Girl Child observance, Relaxo also supported a week-long awareness programme. Activities for girls were organised in 44 schools under the Parivartan project.
A public awareness rally was held in Laksar market and inaugurated by JP Singh, principal of KV Inter College. After the rally, Dr Syed Rafi, medical officer in charge of the community health centre, spoke to students about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
District Magistrate Mayur Dixit appreciated the initiative, saying such programmes could help promote girls’ education. He also emphasised the need to organise similar activities in more areas and encouraged girls to pursue their ambitions.
Gambhir Agrawal, CSR head at Relaxo, said the programme aimed to promote girls’ education in rural areas and provide them with equal opportunities for overall development. He thanked the district administration and other officials for supporting the initiative.
