Important To Be Vocal About The Rights Of Girls: Miss World Manushi Chhillar

Mumbai: Manushi Chhillar, who will make her Bollywood debut opposite superstar Akshay Kumar in the much-awaited historical ‘Prithviraj’, has been vocal about equal rights for girls ever since she was crowned Miss World in 2017. She spearheads Project Shakti, a non-profit organisation aimed at educating girls about menstrual hygiene and has been associated with several UNICEF campaigns. On International Day of the Girl Child 2021, Manushi is using social media to create awareness about the need to be vocal about the rights of the girl child. Manushi said,

I feel it is important for men and women to be vocal about the rights of girls. It is a fact that women have to work harder to get to where they eventually reach. Women have to take the power in their own hands and shape the perception of how a girl should view herself. It’s a world full of opportunities and stereotypes only act as shackles for a better future and a better life. It is time to shatter those stereotypes.

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The actor shared an Instagram post to mark the day. She wrote,

Here’s to the strongest of them all! The girls! Let’s celebrate each day as ours. Let’s pledge to make it a better place for all girls across this world. I have painted this as a sign of my love to the girl gang, to say that we are all united as one.

“I would love to see what you feel about being a girl or about women this #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild and see your work of art on my Instagram stories. Use #InternationalDayOfTheGirlChild and tag me on your stories,” she added.

Manushi has merged advocacy with art to mark this special day. She is urging girls on the internet to freely express how they feel being a girl child and how they would like to be vocal for their rights. Manushi said,

I have always been vocal about equal rights for the girl child and on the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child, I will be using the power of social media to bring as much attention to this issue. I want to collaborate with fellow creative people to show the world how we perceive equal rights, and how we, as women, want to be perceived.

‘Digital Generation. Our generation’ is this year’s theme for International Day of the Girl Child, which is observed annually on October 11. Various government and non-government organisations globally will host virtual seminars and presentations on this day. People can participate by posting stories, videos and blogs. The day is observed to urge the global community to embolden gender equality impacts.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity,  that is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.