Kabaddi turns a defence against gender violence

Kolkata: Defying social stigma often linked to women in sports, Niaz Banu is one among 4,000 adolescent girls in the state who have turned to playing kabaddi and become self-efficient in ensuring personal safety.Much like Banu, kabaddi also changed the life of Tanima Kaur, who was on the verge of being married off against her will. Kaur, however, refused to tie the knot and is a successful kabbadi player now. The sport is being used to instill confidence and resilience in girls so that they can combat gender-based violence and challenge various child rights violations. This ‘Kabaddi for Empowerment' methodology has been implemented by Terre des Hommes Foundation and Praajak for over six years in several districts, including Malda, Siliguri, and Baharampur. On Thursday, West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR), in collaboration with Terre des Hommes Foundation and Praajak,organised an event titled "Empowerplay: Building Safer Futures for Girls through Sports."Director of Praajak Deep Purkayastha said, "Kabaddi has helped adolescent girls to reclaim public spaces with courage."India head of Terre des Hommes Anindit Roy Chowdhury spoke how girls in Patharpratima in the Sundarbans had taken up the sport sans any hesitation. Masooma Parveen, another kabaddi player, who once heard that she'd "bring shame," now says with pride, "I brought trophies." Shukhomoni Barman from Siliguri leads four kabaddi teams. Chairperson of WBCPCR Tulika Das spoke about the need to go beyond gender to embrace true inclusivity.