DSS has been continuously streamlining the dalit girl children so that they may be empowered. If dalit girl children are educated they will become enlightened women when they grow up and will be assertive to question all forms of oppression on them. With this objective in mind, DSS has been utilising all possible occasions to focus on the importance of educating dalit girl children.
The birth anniversary of Savitri Bhai Phule is one such occasion to campaign on the need of educating dalit girl children. With this view, DSS organized a conference on " Educate the Dalit Girl Children and Empower Them" at Press Club, Vijayawada on the eve of Savitri Bai Phule Jayanthi on 4th January 2021. The dignitaries on the dais were Sri Usha Kumari, IAS, Sri. Kasturi, Joint commissioner of I&PR,Sri.Medipalli Vara prasad, Deputy Director of Municipal Corporation, Sri. Koteswara Rao, senior journalist, Sri Jhansi Geddam, National Convener of DSS,Ms. Hemalatha and Ms. Bhagya Lakshmi, coordinators of Andhra and Telangana and Kote Prakash Kumar and District Women Collective leaders from West Godavari, Krishna and Guntur districts have participated.
Sri Jhansi Geddam, National convener of DSS gave a clarion call to all dalit women and men to focus on the education of their girl children. She said that if the girls are educated now,
they will grow up as talented and skilful women of future. Then only they can challenge the oppression, atrocities that are committed on dalit women. She abhorred the idea of confining girls to home or early marriage. She visualized a future society where dalit women occupy respectable and responsible positions and this can be achieved only if the girl children are now provided quality education. Savitribai Phule's birth anniversary is an appropriate occasion for every dalit man and woman to take a solemn oath to educate their girl children.
Sri. Usha Kumari,IAS, pointed out that dalit women are doing lot of physical labour but despite
their hard work they are neither receiving proportionate financial benefits nor recognition due to lack of education and skills. Hence it is necessary for dalit women to concentrate on acquiring skills through education.
Sri. Kasturi, Joint commissioner of I & P.R. goaded all the dalit leaders to educate the dalit
women of villages as is being done by DSS. She reminded that it is everyone's responsibility to transform the institution of family, break the outmoded norms and concentrate on the education of dalit girl children. She said it is everyone's responsibility to annihilate the caste system.
Sri.Medipalli Varaprasad, Deputy Director of Municipal Corporation stressed on the importance of education and emphasized that education is the only panacea for all ills of the Dalits. He lamented at the process of rapid privatisation of everything and suggested that all resources should be under the government.
Sri. Koteswara Rao, senior journalist called upon all the dalit leaders to campaign in the
villages and enlighten the dalit community. He narrated the great work of Savitribai Phule in educating the downtrodden women.
Hemalatha and Bhagya Lakshmi, coordinators of Andhra and Telangana States acted as moderators. Later Ms. Hemalatha conveyed vote of thanks.
