‘Balika Panchayat’: A Concept that will flourish

Inspired by the TV series, Balika Vadhu, the Kunariya village of Kutch district in Gujarat has come out with a unique idea of holding Balika Panchayat. The first-ever elections of this Balika Panchayat were successfully held recently.
This Panchayat will be run by the girls and for the girls.
The main aim of this initiative is to develop leadership qualities in the girls for future Panchayat polls.
Young females aged between 10 to 21 years contested elections for this unique Panchayat which will take up issues pertaining to adolescent girls and women in the village.
The Sarpanch of this progressive village also encouraged this and assured separate sitting arrangements for these girls and they will be given to use the budget of gender sensitivity.