RAJIV GANDHI MANAV SEVA AWARDS ANNOUNCED20 August :Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State for Women and Child Development launched a special impact – oriented media campaign to create mass awareness about issues related with women here today.
Briefing the press persons on the occasion, she said that sensitization masses are must for women empowerment and welfare of children. The Government’s efforts combined with the people’s initiatives at grassroot level can ensure desired result of all schemes and programmes. During the campaign focus would be on ‘Nutrition’, and ‘Girl Child’. There would be a sustained campaign against ‘Domestic Violence’ also. The campaign will include audio/visual spots on national and regional TV channels, radio, cinema halls, print advertisements and field publicity through out the country. In the first phase of the year long campaign the thrust would be on the issue of ‘Girl Child’. The focus would shift to ‘Nutrition’, coinciding with the Nutrition Week. In November 2008, empowerment of women would be the focus. IITF has also declared ‘empowerment of women’ as the theme of this year’s India International Trade Fair to be held in New Delhi.
The campaign of the Ministry has been partnered by UNIFEM, UNICEF and NIPCCD. As a corporate social responsibility initiative, MMTC has contributed video spots for telecast on TV channels / Cinema halls. MMTC will support us in the second phase of our campaign also. In order to further the cause of promoting early childcare and education, specially created character Chamki will be used. Girl empowerment and related issues will be serialized in ‘Chamki Ke Karname’. Spots promoting nutrition and healthy eating habits have also been produced. Breakthrough, and international women rights organization, in association with UNIFEM and this Ministry, has also developed TV spots, posters and flyers on domestic violence for use in the campaign and for outdoor publicity.
The Minister also briefed about the additional activities to be undertaken during the remaining part of the year which include the following:
* Radio progammes in different languages
* Display of women and child related messages in CC TVs on Railway Stations
* Publication of Anganvarta – a monthly magazine for Aanganwadi Workers
* Release of stamps on 14-11-2008
* Activities at IITF 2008 where the theme is empowerment of women this year
* Vatsalya Mela November 2008.
On the occasion, the Minister also announced the names of Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Awardees for the year 2008. Shri Maheshbhai s. Kothari of Gujarat, Ms. Meena K. Jain of Karnataka and Dr. Azariah Korabandi of Andhra Pradesh have been selected for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for the year.
These awards are given to an individual who make outstanding contribution towards service for children, in the fields of child development, child protection and child welfare. These awards are given to support and encourage voluntary action. The Ministry of women and Child Development instituted the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Awards for Service to Children’ in 1994. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and a citation. A national selection committee, chaired by the Minister for Women and Child Development, selects the recipients out of the nominations recommended by State Governments/UT administrations and experts in this area.