Hyderabad, June 15 (Maxim News): The Telangana Women and Child Welfare Department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Taruni Foundation to strengthen efforts aimed at preventing child marriages and minor pregnancies across the state.
The agreement was signed on Monday at the State Secretariat in the presence of Women and Child Welfare Minister Danasari Anasuya, popularly known as Seethakka. The initiative marks a significant step in the government’s campaign to safeguard the rights, education and health of adolescent girls.
The signing ceremony was attended by Women and Child Welfare Secretary Anita Ramachandran, Department Director Shruti Ojha, Taruni Foundation founders Mamatha Raghuveer and Raghuveer, along with senior officials.
Statewide Campaign Against Child Marriages
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Seethakka said child marriage is not merely a family issue but a serious social problem that affects the future of young girls. She noted that child marriages often result in school dropouts, health complications, economic dependence and limited opportunities for personal growth.
The minister said the government has launched a statewide awareness campaign under the slogan “Child Marriage Stops Lives” to educate communities about the harmful consequences of early marriages. She emphasized the need to expand the campaign through social media and digital platforms to reach a larger audience.
Seethakka said the government has already been implementing several programmes to prevent child marriages and minor pregnancies. However, collaboration with an experienced organization such as Taruni Foundation will help expand the impact of these initiatives.
Focus on Awareness and Training
Under the partnership, awareness programmes will be conducted from the village level to the state level to educate girls and communities about rights, education, health, safety and gender equality.
The minister said specialized training programmes will be organized for Anganwadi workers, supervisors, Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) and other field-level staff from various departments. These training sessions will strengthen the capacity of frontline workers to identify and prevent child marriages and support vulnerable children.
The partnership will also focus on extensive digital and social media campaigns highlighting the dangers of child marriage and the health risks associated with minor pregnancies.
Empowering Girls Through Education
Seethakka reiterated that the government places the highest priority on girls’ education, health and empowerment. She stressed that every girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her dreams and achieve her full potential.
“Creating an environment where every girl can fulfill her aspirations is our collective responsibility. The government, civil society organizations and communities must work together to completely eradicate child marriages,” she said.
Taruni Foundation to Provide Technical Support
Taruni Foundation Founder Mamatha Raghuveer welcomed the partnership and said the organization would extend technical support, conduct awareness campaigns and organize capacity-building programmes across Telangana.
She noted that Taruni Foundation has worked for more than two decades in areas such as girl child empowerment, child marriage prevention and anti-human trafficking initiatives. The collaboration with the Telangana government, she said, will help accelerate efforts to reduce child marriages and minor pregnancies in the state.
The Women and Child Welfare Department believes the partnership will strengthen grassroots interventions and contribute to building a safer and more empowered future for adolescent girls across Telangana. (Maxim News)
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
