Every girl should be trained in self defence and be able to protect herself and lead a life of dignity — that was the message from a group of girls from a home through a dance recital on Monday.

Most of the girls are survivors of abuse and trafficking or have been abandoned and need care and protection.

The dance recital, Virangana, was performed at GD Birla Sabhaghar by about 20 girls between ages seven and 17 of Mahima India, which runs homes to rehabilitate girls in
distress.

Each of the girls has a story to tell but have fought their past and left it behind to join the mainstream, said Rajasree Dey Roy, associate director of Mahima India.

Rokeya is the protagonist of the dance performance. She was trafficked as a young teenager but is eventually rescued.

After she comes back, she learns self defence, works for her upliftment and becomes a police officer who rescues other young girls like her.

The fictitious story reflects the struggle of many girls who have faced abuse and exploitation but succeeded in turning their lives around.

“Child protection is not just the responsibility of police or the administration but that of every citizen,” Dey Roy told the audience on Monday.

“Every citizen has to protect the rights of a child. The way I protect my child, I ought to protect the rights of another child in my neighbourhood whose rights might be violated. Spreading awareness about child rights is the first step,” she told The Telegraph.