Community Awareness through Mid Media

Summary

Innovation: To promote awareness through the performing arts

Duration: 3 Weeks in 2018

Location: Gadag, Karnataka

Key Stakeholders: District Collector, Anganwadi Workers, Anganwadi Supervisors, Child Development Programme Officers, District Women’s Empowerment Office, District Programme Officers, Other Government Departments, Community Members.

Brief Description

Initially, the District Collector consented for collecting information about performing arts groups that could promote BBBP in all the Panchayats of the District. A prominent performing Art group was selected and provided with awareness generation material to prepare dramas, dances and songs that would be performed publicly, with each event lasting an hour and a half. Various preparatory work for create a road map for Child Development Programme Officers to help organize the performance in each village, transportation and lodging arrangements for the performers, and also informing media houses through the Public Communications Department. Most importantly, Anganwadi Workers and their supervisors intimated Gram Panchayat members, mothers and children, etc. about upcoming programmes in each of their villages. Performances were carried out in 8-10 Gram Panchayats on daily basis.

Factors Contributing to Success

The active participation in a united collaborative approach of the District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, Police Department, Law Department, Health and Education Department, Women & Child Department, Non-Governmental Organizations, the public, elected members, etc. resulted in the good success of this initiative.

Outcome, Benefits & Impact

Performances took place in all 122 Panchayats of the District with 50-100 people on an average sensitized in each Panchayat. Generating awareness through the performing arts is highly impactful with strong recall effect, even, as the public has been sensitized with the grave matter of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR). By showcasing equality among male and female children, importance has been given to girls’ education and saving the girl child, which has subsequently had a strong impact on the mindset of people in the District.

Challenges and Future Prospects

Challenges revolving around the implementation of this initiative include creating plans of action, and synchronising factors of implementation in these plans of action. Early intimation to all stakeholders and co-operation with different bodies organizing the event is required.

The Administration would like to sustain this event on an annual basis.

Source: Innovations under Beti Bachao Beti Padhao