Empowering Young Girls: Pune Zilla Parishad Introduces Self-Defense Training in Schools
Empowering Young Girls: Pune Zilla Parishad Introduces Self-Defense Training in Schools
The Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) has initiated self-defense classes for female students in government schools. In the first phase, around 2,500 girls from classes 8 to 10 across 72 schools are receiving training, according to Jamsingh Girase, the district program officer for Women and Child Development at ZP. A budget of Rs 25 lakh has been allocated for this initiative.
Additionally, the ZP has reached out to non-governmental organizations and community groups for support in this project.
Girase mentioned, “It’s not feasible to launch this course everywhere simultaneously. Therefore, we are appealing to NGOs for assistance in providing this training. Our goal is to make it accessible to all girls during their formative years so they can learn to defend themselves. We have started batches of 35 students in selected schools within gram panchayats. This is just the beginning, and we hope to receive support from various organizations.”
Last week, a 39-year-old dance teacher from a private school was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing two boys, which has raised concerns about the safety of students. In response, the ZP has initiated self-defense training specifically for female students, not boys.
