New Delhi, July 28 (IANS): Guidelines for the appointment of gender champions, who will facilitate an enabling environment within academic institutions for girls to be treated with dignity and tackling crimes against women, were issued on Tuesday.

The guidelines were issued by the ministry of women and child development, an official release here said.

Gender champions can be both boys and girls above 16 years of age enrolled in schools, colleges and academic institutions. They will strengthen the potential of girls and boys to advocate for gender equality and monitor progress towards gender justice.

The broad mandate of gender champions is to provide an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to understanding the social and cultural constructs of gender that shape the experiences of women and men in society.

"The aim is to make boys and girls gender sensitive and create positive social norms that value the girls and their rights," the release said.

Gender champion clubs are also envisaged in educational institutions. These clubs can organize focused group discussions, debates, poster competitions, thematic plays and workshops identifying gaps in the activities of schools and colleges vis-A-vis gender and make recommendations on how to address these gaps.

The club can organize school's annual function or college fest on the theme of gender equality and women's empowerment and encourage students to sign up and express their support for gender justice and equality.

The decision on the gender champions was taken at a meeting of committee of secretaries held under the chairmanship of secretary (coordination) on June 5 on the issue of how to tackle the menace of sexual crimes against women.