Tag: Social Welfare and Women and Child Development

‘1000 Days’ campaign launched for mother, child care in West Bengal

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West Bengal Department of Child Development and Social Welfare and UNICEF today launched ‘1000 Days’ campaign to reach out to every mother and child across the state for their healthier and prosperous future.

“The 1000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday offer an unique window of opportunity to shape healthier and more prosperous future. The right nutrition and care during this period can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn and rise out of poverty,” state Women and Child Welfare minister, Shashi Panja said.

The campaign, which will be carried out for the next 12 months with a budget of Rs 1,474 crore to be funded by both the centre and the state, would be taken to every block in the state.

It would engage a large network of NGOs, institutions and community mobilisers to reach out to young mothers, the minister said.

WB CM launches ‘Muktir Alo’ – Rehabilitation scheme for sex workers

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West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee today launched ‘Muktir Alo’, a rehabilitation scheme for sex workers and women rescued from human trafficking.

The proposed scheme would help them to return to the mainstream, Minister for Women and Child Development, Dr Shashi Panja had earlier said in the Assembly.

She said that the registered persons would be given house rent and transport allowance during the training period. The period of training would be six months, she said.

During the launch programme, WB CM said that her government was committed to working for the upliftment of the marginalised section of the society.

“We launched ‘Muktir Alo’ initiative for those who are downtrodden and neglected by society. It is our responsibility. We have also set up a development board for transgenders,” she said.

“We have set up a Little Star board for the welfare of little people. We are working for welfare of backward communities,” she added.

Mamata Banerjee tweeted in the morning:

First meeting of newly formed Transgender Development Board held at Nabanna

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The first meeting of the State’s newly formed Transgender Development Board was held at Nabanna on Friday

The Government will take special efforts to ensure that the marginalized transgenders become a part of the mainstream of the society. This was decided at the first meeting of the Board.

West Bengal Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Minister Dr Sashi Panja, who is also the chairperson of the Transgender Development Board, said that a mass awareness drive would be carried out so that the members of the state’s 30,000-strong transgender community could live with dignity .

 

The Minister also said that they would shortly set up sex reassignment surgery (SRS) units in government hospitals. This, she hoped, would minimize financial and various other difficulties that the transgenders face while undergoing sex-change surgeries at private hospitals.

There were plans to set up a 24×7 helpline for transgenders and other sexual minority communities such as LGBT. They will be able to lodge a complaint at the helpline even if they are assaulted or heckled by their family members

Krishnagar College principal Manabi Bandyopadhyay , who is the vice chairperson of board, said that they held a discussion with the nine transgender board members on Friday to address the problems faced by the members of the community .

The State Government is also planning to have special toilets for the transgenders. The transgenders had earlier complained that they were being harassed while using ladies’ toilets.  Dr Panja said that she would take up the matter of setting up toilets for transgenders on a priority basis. A special ward for transgenders has already been set up at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital.

The Board, which has its office in Salt Lake, is also planning to build a shelter for the transgenders who face hostile environment at home.

DrPanja said that since the Supreme Court has recently ordered to include transgenders in welfare programmes, he state government was planning to have education and health projects for them.