International Girl Child Day

 Dear friends!

Today is International Girl Child Day. The time we should be reminded of our daughter or our sister or our friend or neighbor's daughter or sister or our mother.

How undernourished half of our Indian children are. And particularly, the girl children?

The girl children are discriminated at home, in school, everywhere. Why? Partly because of our traditional, patriarchal outlook. They enjoy low esteem, undernourished at home. Female foeticide /  infanticide is rampant in India, partly because of the dowry menace and partly because of traditional prejudices.

Atrocities on girls are also on the rise, because of the low respect they enjoy, poor brought-up of the boys by their parents, poor educational system who does not inculcate equality and respect for women. Cinema, TV and Media are also responsible for some extent for this malady apart from globalization. Tardy justice delivery system is also partly responsible for the plight of the girls. Thus there are many causes for the poor status of women and girl children in our society, like the hundred causes for Karna's (Kunti's first son) death.

At home, Girls are given remnant food after everybody has eaten which leads to under nutrition, emaciation, low immunity and ill-health. At school, they lack toilets, leading to ill health and high drop out rate. Being  part of the child labour which is highly prevalent in India and other developing countries, at work place also, they are being uncared, abused and ill treated. Infant Mortality Rate is also very high in India at 47 per 1000 live births, more so for the girl child.

On the road, the girls are harassed, ill-treated, victimized and abused.

Girl child trafficking and atrocities in India  are also very high, nearly 50,000 per annum as reported. Thus, they are not being looked upon as fellow human beings but as products or goods which can be consumed.

Hence, what can be the remedies?

First, we have to understand in our heart and accept that the girl child is equal to the male child and that she has got equal right to the love, affection and care from her parents, teachers, elders and respect from all others in the society. That she is not a tool or product or good that can be used and disposed of. She has got equal rights to good education, sound health, honorable livelihood and empowerment as to their male counterpart. In fact the society will gain more from a woman/girls human development compared to that of a man/boy because of the extra contribution they make to the family and to her neighbors.

Secondly, the Governments should evolve a policies, strategies and plans for the girl child through which, their esteem would be enhanced at home, in school and at work place; female foeticide / infanticide is curtailed, child labour eliminated, their education and health status would be raised, their employment and livelihood opportunities would be greatly increased;

Thirdly, legal and administrative measures should be formulated and enforced to curb atrocities on them and punish the culprits, and the girls are in governance and decision making positions.

On this occasion, it is not out of the place to recount the signal contributions of women like Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa, Madam Curie and the like.

Let's celebrate the International Girl Child Day and rededicate ourselves to her welfare.

Good night!