Young girls take over big roles to mark International Day of Girl Child

New Delhi [India], Oct. 6 [ANI]: In run up to the International Day of Girl Child on October 11, young girls in the age group of 13-25 years are reportedly performing various roles like traffic cops, editor, RJ, village sarpanchs, school principal and senior manager in the corporate sector for one day. Organized by Plan India, the initiative is a UN-declared international observance day to "support greater opportunities for girls and end gender discrimination." In Delhi, 20-year-old Yamini took over the role of a senior manager at Daiichi Sankyo, a global pharmaceutical company, for one day on October 5. Shatabdi, a 15 year old girl from Delhi is representing India in Spain's celebration of International Day of the Girl where she will hold discussions with political representatives at the National Parliament, Spanish Youth Committee and with school children to promote gender equality for girls. On October 10, 16-year-old Ruby will take over as radio jockey for Radio Mirchi, 23-year-old Sunita will take over as an editor of a national newspaper and 100 other girls are set to manage traffic at four major locations in Delhi. "Young people have a fundamental right and plenty of innovative ideas in decision-making," said Yasmin, who took over Daiichi Sankyo. "The more that we work with governments, in corporate environments and in development, the faster we will make change happen," she said. Girls from other parts of India will also take part in this initiative. In Hyderabad, 13-year-old Bhavana will become ACP and take over a police station; in Sonauli, 14-year-old Shivangi will act as a Sashastra Seema Bal Assistant Commandant; while 10 girls in Uttar Pradesh are reportedly going to take up the Sarpanchs and headmistress' role of different villages for a day. "Securing girls rights is a critical social justice issue of our time," said Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director of Plan India, "It is our responsibility to create an environment that will enable every girl to fulfill her dreams. By occupying spaces where they are rarely seen or heard, girls will seek to highlight the challenges they face and represent their power and determination to build a more equal world that values girls, promotes their rights and ends injustice." The global action is being staged as part of Plan International's 'Because I am a Girl' campaign which advocates for all girls to have "power and freedom to learn, lead, decide and thrive."(ANI)