On June 16, 2022, India’s first-ever girl Panchayat, “Balika Panchayat” was held in the Kutch district of Gujarat.
- The Balika Panchayat was started in several villages of Gujarat’s Kutch district in 2021. It aims to promote the social and political development of the girls and ensure their active participation of girls in politics.
Key highlights
- Members of the Balika Panchayat — run by girls in the 11-21 age group — assemble for meetings to talk about social issues and politics and work towards bringing a positive change in society.
- The Balika Panchayat initiative was started in four villages of the Kutch district — Kunaria, Maska, Motagua, and Vadsar — about a year ago.
- The concept of Balika Panchayat was floated by the women and child development welfare department of the Gujarat government under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign.
