Hyderabad: Telangana Women and Child Welfare Minister Seethakka on Tuesday announced the creation of adolescent girl groups across the state. These collectives, modeled after women’s self-help groups, aim to improve safety, health, nutrition, and empowerment for teenage girls.
The initiative targets key issues such as child marriage, school dropouts, malnutrition, and harassment. Seethakka launched the program at Jyothirao Phule Praja Bhavan in Begumpet.
“Girls between 14 and 18 years face a critical phase in life,” she said. “With the right support, they can grow into powerful change-makers.”
The awareness programme included District Rural Development Officers (DRDOs), their deputies, and District Welfare Officers (DWOs). The Ministry of Women and Child Development, SERP, and UNICEF jointly organized the event.
Seethakka said the groups would help identify problems specific to girls in rural, urban, and tribal areas. “Each region has unique challenges. These groups allow us to plan targeted interventions,” she explained.
The Minister directed DRDOs and DWOs to support the formation and functioning of these adolescent groups. She said they should focus on safety, nutrition, skill development, and livelihood training.
“True empowerment means every girl has the chance to live a secure, healthy, and dignified life,” Seethakka said.
She urged officials to design preventive measures suited to the local context. Different areas face different social pressures, she added.
Key participants included SERP CEO Divya Devarajan, Additional CEO Katyayani, Women and Child Welfare Secretary Anitha Ramachandran, Director G. Srijana, UNICEF officer M. Muralikrishna, and Taruni Sanstha Chairperson Mamata Raghuveer.
