Adolescent Girls Club

Summary

Innovation: To generate awareness on menstrual hygiene, child sexual abuse and teenage pregnancy among adolescent girls                       

Duration: Monthly

Location: Nagaland

Key Stakeholders: Department of Social Welfare, Department of Women & Child Development, State Task Force of BBBP, Nagaland Legal Service Authority, Department of Education, Adolescent Girls, Government Schools

Brief Description

Adolescent Girls Clubs are introduced in Government Schools across the State of Nagaland. Monthly Club meetings are held in member schools of the Nagaland Adolescent Girls Club, where deliberations and dialogue sessions are conducted on:

1. Harmful effects of teenage pregnancy
2. Menstrual health and hygiene management
3. Child sexual abuse in collaboration with Legal Service Authority

The following activities are also being conducted under the Adolescent Girls Club:

1. The formation of a Girls’ ‘Friendship Circle’
2. A campaign on ‘Know Your Rights’
3. Free sanitary napkin distribution in schools, especially among underprivileged girls
4. A play on “The Day I took a Stand” that is enacted as part of the Club’s initiative to stand up against child sexual abuse, bullying, domestic vio-lence, trafficking and other forms of violence against women and girls
5. The drawing of a month-wise action plan for the Club

Factors Contributing to Success

The main factor contributing to the success of this initiative is the active participation and support of the Nagaland Legal Service Authority, Department of Education that acts as the nodal agency for running the Adolescent Girls Club are equally credited for the achievements of this activity.

Outcome, Benefits & Impact

There are more than 530 girls who are members of the Adolescent Girls Club. A positive message being propagated at the community level is that menstruation is a normal occurrence and not a taboo. There is awareness among girls about the existence of various forms of child sexual abuse and the various options available to diminish the ill effects of it. Vigilant teachers act as friends for those girls who face problems with child sexual abuse and menstruation.

Challenges and Future Prospects

A major challenge lies in the lack of mobility to monitor the activities of each Adolescent Girls Club. Its future prospects include convergence with allied departments, such as the Departments of Youth Resources and Sports and Social Justice and Empowerment etc. to make this programme an annual convergence activity. The Club can also be included in each school’s annual activity so that it becomes a part of extra-curricular activities for girls.

Source: Innovations under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao