Insurance for Girls to Prevent Child Marriage in Gaidahawa Rural Municipality

  October 11, 2024 By: INSEC

Gaidahawa Rural Municipality has decided to provide insurance for girls born within the municipality. Under the ‘Save Daughters, Educate Daughters’ campaign, the program aims to encourage the educational development of girls born in Gaidahawa Rural Municipality and promote the message that sons and daughters are equal. The Gaidahawa Rural Municipality Chairperson prepared the Girl Child Insurance Scheme Guidelines 2024 to prevent child marriages and signed an agreement with Prabhu Mahalakshmi Life Insurance as per the provisions outlined in the guidelines. Gaidahawa Rural Municipality Chairperson Surendra Paudel stated that the agreement was signed by opening the girl child insurance tender. He added that the girl child insurance program has introduced a new dimension for girls in Gaidahawa Rural Municipality.

Chairperson Paudel stated that the insurance is provided to encourage girls and to convey the message that sons and daughters are equal, so that girls do not have to face various forms of violence simply because they are born as daughters. He further mentioned that the insurance program will create a conducive environment for girls to be born, grow up, and develop. It will also play a role in educating them, making them self-reliant, and preventing child marriages. Krishna Prasad Pokhrel, Deputy Chief of Lumbini Province for Prabhu Mahalakshmi Life Insurance, stated that an agreement was reached between the rural municipality and the insurance company for girl child insurance in Gaidahawa Rural Municipality. This agreement aligns with the government’s policy provisions and the long-term vision established by the municipality for girls born in the area. The girl child insurance provides a one-time payment to cover the risk of the parent, either the father or the mother, of girls born in this local level. He explained that if the father or mother of the girl dies due to an accident or natural causes within 20 years of age, the company will arrange for a lump-sum payment to be given to the girl based on the municipality’s recommendation according to the company’s regulations.

The agreement states that only those girls born in health institutions under Gaidahawa Rural Municipality and referred by them are to be enrolled in this insurance scheme. Additionally, this program must include only residents within Gaidahawa Rural Municipality. The insurance fee will be a one-time payment of only Rs 20,000. It is stated that payment will only be made to the insured if the girl remains unmarried until the age of 20, based on a recommendation from the rural municipality along with a certificate from the ward office. According to the agreement between the company and the rural municipality, Gaidahawa Rural Municipality has insured the girls for a one-time payment with Prabhu Mahalakshmi Life Insurance Ltd. for 20 years. If the girl gets married before the age of 20, the amount will be deposited into the rural municipality’s account, meaning that a recommendation confirming her unmarried status must be provided as stipulated in the agreement.

The main objective of the is to prevent child marriage. The rural municipality has allocated a total budget of Rs 25,00,000 for the insurance in the budget for the fiscal year 2024/2025.

 


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