Dimapur: Nagaland’s Kohima district administration, in collaboration with the District Hub for Empowerment of Women, Sakhi-One Stop Centre, and the social welfare department, observed the International Day of the Girl Child at the Kohima DC’s conference hall on Monday, calling for collective action to end child marriage and protect girls’ rights.
Held under the global theme “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights”, the programme aimed to amplify girls’ voices, promote their empowerment, and address the human rights challenges and discrimination they face globally.
Delivering the keynote address, Kohima DC B Henok Buchem urged attendees to renew their pledge to eliminate child marriage and build a safer, more equitable society.
Citing the proverb, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world,” Buchem said educating a girl empowers not only her but also generations to come.
He urged attendees to support families in need through personal initiatives or available government welfare schemes.
Buchem also spoke about the ongoing HPV vaccination drive to prevent cervical cancer, saying public awareness remained low and calling for urgent, widespread sensitisation.
During the technical sessions, Wapanginla Kichu, a member of the Child Welfare Committee, outlined children’s fundamental rights, including education, protection, equality, expression, healthcare, and development, as well as legal safeguards against child labour, sexual harassment, and child marriage.