Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday announced that she would be working with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to empower women.
"Sports can play a vital role in transforming and empowering lives of women and girls. Today, we recognise it as a platform for girls to demonstrate their skills and achieve their aspirations" she said, adding it was this reason that the two Ministries have decided to work together to "promote greater participation of women in sports".
In her address at an event organised by her Ministry and UNICEF to celebrate International Day of the Girl Child, she said that a campaign will be launched to motivate girls and women to take up sports.
"More importantly, sports infrastructure for girls is proposed to be developed for which the (Women) Ministry is willing to contribute funds," she said.
UNICEF India representative Yasmin Ali Haque told IANS: "Girl Child Day is a long term commitment of multi-sectoral partners to continue to draw attention to all girls' needs and opportunities."
"Three priorities that can change the paradigm completely are girls' education, preventing their early marriage and enabling their safe mobility," she added.
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, Indian Women's cricket captain Mitali Raj, former captain of Indian women's basketball team Raspreet Sidhu, Special Olympics athlete Ragini Sharma, Karate champion Mana Mandlekar and para swimmer Rajni Jha were also present on the occasion.
--IANS
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