New Delhi: With a focus on the role of women and children in taking a leadership role for community-led sanitation initiatives, the Ministry of Women and Child Development observed the Swachhta Pakhwada between 1st to 15th March, 2018 along with the International Women’s Day. The theme of the Ministry was to spread Swachhta awareness and implementation across the country. It has been realised that lack of sanitation and hygiene has a far-reaching impact on women and children’s health and safety, dignity, education and livelihood. Swachhta Pakhwada was carried out at various field formations of the MWCD units like Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), Crèche, Community for Food & Nutrition Extension Unit (CFNEU) Swadhar Greh, Drug De-addiction centre, One Stop Centres (OSC), Educational Institutions and slums etc.
The main objective of the Swachhta Pakhwada has been ‘cleanliness, inside out’ – to sensitize and ensure good health and hygiene by providing women and children with awareness on clean and safe environment, personal health, hygiene and good practices including hand washing.
During the pakhwada, senior officials from the Ministry visited different districts across the country where programmes were organized in partnership with local administration. A clearly demarcated list of activities were earmarked for various parts of the country keeping in view of the natural topography and locations which were executed in various parts of the country like Patna, Ghaziabad, Jhunjhunu, Noida, 24 Pargana, Kolkata, Ujjain, Nagpur, Ahmadabad, Sahibaganj, Hnahthial where senior officials were deputed to oversee the conduct of Swachhta Pakhwada,
All autonomous bodies under the administrative control of MWCD such as CARA, NIPCCD, NCPCR, NCW and RMK etc. carried out various activities during Swachhta Pakhwada extensively.
The highlights of the programmes are:
- Swachhta pledge at Schools, Anganwadi centres, community halls, offices, Food and Nutrition board etc.
- Pledge has been taken in local languages such as Gujarati, Marathi, Bengali etc.
- Poster and slogans writing competition with children and frontline functionaries like AWWs
- Signing Board/ Pledge Board
- Drawing, painting, mehendi, rangoli and dance etc. competition among children
- Screening of films on swachh Bharat Abhiyan
- Session on health, hygiene and sanitation for women and children
- Magic show etc. on Swachhta Abhiyan
- Cleanliness drive in Drug de-addiction centre
- Rallies organized at community level
- Tree plantation
- Workshops
- Exhibition
- Display of IEC materials like posters and Banners
The Swachh Bharat Mission, launched on October 2nd, 2014, by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, is aimed at achieving a clean and open defecation free (ODF) India. With all-round efforts, 314 districts and 3.23 lakh villages which includes 9 States and 2 UTs have been declared ODF and the sanitation coverage has more than doubled from 38.70% to 78.98% since the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched.
