UNESCO Delhi has introduced a comic book titled "Let's Move Forward" to address misconceptions and raise awareness among students on various taboo subjects. Created in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Education and NCERT, the book is now accessible on the Ministry of Education's official website. It tackles topics such as females participating in cricket and boys assisting their mothers in the kitchen. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of equal respect for transgender individuals in society. The 32-page comic covers eleven themes, including good health, emotional well-being, gender equality, reproductive health, safety against sexual violence, internet safety, and responsible social media behavior.
The comic book also imparts valuable lessons for school administrators, emphasizing the need for schools to offer facilities for children with disabilities, including wheelchair-accessible ramps. The comic stresses the importance of empathy towards those with different needs and encourages creating an inclusive environment for children with disabilities. According to Eric Falt, UNESCO Director and envoy to Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, and the Maldives, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development emphasizes the interconnectedness of human rights, gender equality, health, and well-being with quality education. Falt also noted that NCERT has taken the lead in developing curriculum and resource materials on adolescent health and well-being for the School Health Programme in collaboration with UN agencies and other partners. Through this comic book, designed to enhance adolescents' knowledge and awareness, the concept of joyful learning is conveyed.
The Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, emphasized in a statement to a news daily that "the foundation of national development relies on robust health". Consequently, initiatives for nation-building prioritize the health and well-being of teenagers. Pradhan highlighted schools as ideal settings for health promotion and education initiatives, underscoring the close interconnection between education and health. Thus, he stressed the need for school curricula and teaching methods to integrate considerations for health.
