Patna, Jan 24 (PTI) Girls need to "unlearn" the notion of being the weaker sex that is in need of protection to achieve true empowerment, a top official said here on Monday.<br> The remarks were made by Harjot Kaur Bumrah, a senior IAS officer who is also the Managing Director of Women's and Child Development Corporation WCDC, which functions under the department of social welfare in the Bihar government.<br> She was addressing a webinar jointly organised by WCDC, UNICEF, and city-based think-tank ADRI, on the occasion of National Girl Child Day <br> "From early childhood, a girl is taught that she is supposed to care for others and not compete with others. That she is weak and needs to be protected. These so-called lessons are to be unlearnt so that she can learn the value of empowerment", Bumrah said.<br> Speaking on the occasion, UNICEF's Bihar head Nafisa Shafiq called for a "girl-intentional approach" that placed girls "at the centre of programmes and policies".<br> Prabhat P Ghosh and Barna Ganguli spoke on behalf of ADRI which came out with a presentation on the state's sex ratio.<br> The panelists agreed that Bihar has seen improvements in girls' health and education though a lot remains to be achieved in the state which has lagged behind the national average on these parameters. PTI NAC <br> <br>MM MM