National Girl Child Day

National girl child day is observed on 24th January every year, which tends to promote the rights of every girl child.

It is also to spread awareness among people about the importance of girl child and declining child sex ratio. The event is celebrated differently in every part of the country.

This happens under the “Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao” scheme launched by current Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. National Girl Child Day also marks the anniversary of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.

In the year 2021, the Punjab government has declared the month of January to be the month of girl child. They have also launched a scheme named “Dheeiyan di Lohri“.

In the year 2020, it was celebrated in Madhya Pradesh, and the theme was “Aware girl child-able Madhya Pradesh,” which in Hindi translates to “Jagruk Balika-Samarth Madhya Pradesh.”

The theme for the year 2019 was “Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow.”

National Girl Child Week

National Girl Child Day is to create awareness, examine the health of the girls, select gender champions at the local level, and more. Similarly, the Women and Child Development Department will also celebrate National Girl Child Week from January 24 to 30. The motive for this is also similar.

Initiative Taken by the Current Government

The initiative taken by the current government to spread awareness among people about girl child is appreciable.

We all are witness to this fact that in many families, the girl child has been considered as an unwanted entity.

For ages, she has been considered as a burden on family and of little to no importance (compared to sons). From the cradle to the grave, she is considered as a liability upon her father and later on her husband. It seems as if she was only meant to live behind walls, reproduce, and do household chores.

Provisions in the Constitution for Equality

Though the Constitution of India (Article 14: Equality before law. & Article 16: Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.) provides equal rights and opportunities to men and women so that the status of women can be improved, but a majority of women are still unable to enjoy the rights guaranteed to them.

The preference for son and disfavour for a girl child is a complex phenomenon that persists in some parts of India. The orthodox belief is doing nothing but decreasing our nation’s growth at a higher level as approximately 48.18% of the total population comprises of women.

If we won’t educate women, then half of our population would remain illiterate, which will directly impact the county’s growth.

As of now, the trend is changing against the traditional mindset. Now women are an important part of the socio progressive nation. Now people have started realising that girls deserve an equal chance and should be educated to make a better family and a civilised nation.

Examples of Some Amazing Indian Women

There are many examples which prove that a woman is as strong and can contribute to the nation as men can-

Cornelia Sorabji (First female lawyer),
Indira Gandhi (Iron lady of India),
Lata Mangeshkar (Nightingale of India)
Ritu Karidhal (Forbes India self-made women 2020) (Deputy operations director of Mars Orbiter Mission)
Mithali Raj (First woman to score a double hundred in test cricket in the year 2004.)
Pratibha Patil (First woman president of India (2007-2012))
Justice M. Fathima Beevi (First female judge to be appointed in Supreme Court of India in 1989), and many more.

In our current government, women are/were at the apex positions, like being the head of defence, being the speaker of parliament, managing foreign affairs, managing finance ministry, and what not!

Girls Education - National Girl Child Day — Source: UNICEF.ORG

Various Policies of Current Government for Girl Child

The theme “empowering girls for better tomorrow” is very apt for today’s time. The government, through its various policies like Sukanya Samridhi Yojana, Ladali Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and many more scholarship schemes, has tried to uplift the status of the girl child, and to a good extent, it has been beneficial.

One Great News Related to Girl Child

Sex Ration has greatly increased in Haryana in the last 5 years.
In 2012, there were just 832 females per 1000 males in Haryana.
In 2015, it was 876 females per 1000 males.
In 2016, this number rose to 900 females per 1000 males.
In 2017, this number bettered to 914 females per 1000 males.

We need this continued awareness, and someday it will near 1000 females per 1000 males! Let us work and be optimistic…

It is the duty of every citizen to empower girls and promote gender equality!

Concluding with few lines for all the girls-

It’s the time to rise high and high,
Be the opportunist in the sky.
Spread your arms and welcome all those,
Who wishes to reach and touch the sky…
No one is weaker in this world,
Enthusiasm is the unbreakable sword.
Be the one to be an example for everyone,
Ignite those souls who are living futile.
We are the crushers, we are the makers,
The voice inside us is the true soul mater (mother)…
Never un-hear your own voice,
That’s the only thing that never lies.
Never doubt your capability and never cry,
O dear little girl, just fly high and high…

Update: The initial paragraphs have been edited on 24th January 2021. Rest of the content is from 2020.

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Arushi

Editor at WritingLaw

Arushi has written this article. She was the former editor of WritingLaw. Arushi was among her college and university toppers while completing BALLB. In 5 years of college, she won over 40 trophies at moot courts, extempore, debates, quiz, and other activities.