Safe space for girls

Ayushmann Khurrana raises rural school safety concerns during UNICEF visit 

Actor-singer and UNICEF India National Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana has highlighted concerns over children’s access to education and safety after girls in a village in Maharashtra’s Jalna district handed him letters detailing how poor road conditions can lead to school dropouts.

Khurrana was visiting the village as part of a UNICEF-supported programme, where local girls raised concerns about the safety of travelling to school, particularly for female students.

He personally handed their letters to the District Collector and discussed the issue with officials.

“One of the young girls handed us a letter. She explained that the road conditions to reach the school often force children, especially girls, to drop out of education because they do not feel safe. We personally handed those letters to the District Collector today, and I believe they will address the issue; we also discussed it with them,” Khurrana said.

The actor said the concerns highlighted the need for greater attention to rural development and the wellbeing of future generations.

“The message to society is that we must be more conscious of our efforts regarding future generations. Seventy per cent of India lives in villages, and if our villages do not flourish, how can our country progress,” he added.

Khurrana said the visit marked his first rural field visit for UNICEF. He noted that he had previously participated in UNICEF campaigns in Delhi, Mumbai and at the Women’s World Cup, but had not earlier experienced the organisation’s grassroots operations firsthand.