Actor Anil Kapoor, who was a part of Plan International celebration of the International Day of the Girl 2018 on Thursday, says that the future of India is bright with more girls taking up positions of power.
"I am confident that with more and more girls taking up positions of power, our country's future will definitely be bright. This is my 12th year of association with Plan India. I am always eager to lend my support to the cause of gender equality. It is inspiring to see young girls progressing with such confidence and rigor," the actor said in a statement.
On the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child (IDG), 17 Girl Changemakers from across 10 states stepped into the roles of ambassadors and high commissioners of 17 countries and relayed messages of equality, freedom and power for girls and young women.
The IDG Diplomatic Missions takeover was a joint collaboration between Plan India and the Delegation of the European Union to India, actively supported by the participating diplomatic missions Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, EU, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
"This is such a proud moment for us. It is wonderful to see 17 of our young girls leading from the front and performing their duties with such diligence and responsibility," the actor said.
The Girls Changemakers are representing 10 Indian States: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.
They have been selected through a rigorous screening process and will be bringing their unique perspectives to the national level.
This is the second year that Plan India and Diplomatic Missions have partnered to give girls the agency to share their stories of courage and leadership while expressing their unequivocal commitment to the larger movement of girls' rights and leadership.
Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan India, says that "considering the crucial role that women play in a country's economic and social development, there is a need for sustained efforts from all stakeholders to work towards the goal of achieving gender equality."
Tomasz Kozlowski, Ambassador of the European Union to India speaking on behalf of all the 17 Diplomatic Missions said, "Girls Takeovers are a call for a social and political change to tear down the barriers that continue to hold girls back.
"Girls, boys, men and women all have an important role to play in building a society that empowers every member to reach their full potential. The empowerment of women and girls is critical in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, and diplomatic missions in Delhi are proud to participate to this year's takeover."