Sehwag supports 'Dare to Care' campaign to empower adolescent girls

Behind destructing the balling attack of opponent teams swashbuckling Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag has a softer side also. This veteran cricketer has supported the 'Dare to Care' campaign in a bid to empower Indian adolescent girls.

While talking to media, Sehwag said he is glued and excited about the campaign as it very close to normal lives and hearts and added he is willing to do anything to ensure its success.

"It is important for us, and everybody, to support the girl child, make sure that she goes to school, make sure she will get married after 18 years and also make sure that she has right to say no for certain things and make sure that she can participate in the houses to give their opinion or raise their voices. It is important for everyone to support that cause and I am very grateful to UNICEF that they are associating with Delhi dare Devils. We can promise that we can do whatever you need from us, we are ready to help you and ready to do for this cause," Sehwag has been quoted as saying.

Sehwag further added that the 'Dare to Care' campaign is expecting to hear millions of voices speak out for girls in India.

"The UNICEF people were briefing me. I got to know that there are 40 percent of young girls of 14-17 years of age, they are not going to school and around 50 percent of young girls are getting married before age of 18. So, it not a good sign for India. When we go abroad, we see lots of women and girls working for corporate, media and companies but when you move around India, you hardly see girls working for corporate and media and companies, so it is our responsibility to give chances to girls and women to work with men and with any company or in any media sections. So, we are ready to help anything and it is an hour to get associated with UNICEF," he added.

'Dare to Care' campaign is jointly launched by UNICEF and the IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils. The aim of the campaign is to boost efforts to protect girls still facing obstacles in their lives through various forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse on account of their age and gender.

Empowering girls with education, and instilling in them courage to say no to an early marriage system and other issues are major goals of this campaign.

-with inputs from ANI