GIRL CHILD NEED WINGS TO FLY

Editorial . . . . . . 

 The 11th of October is designated as the International Day of the Girl Child, while the 24th of January has been designated as National Girl Child Day in India since 2008. Both days are intended to raise awareness of the rights of girls, the value of education, health, and nutrition, as well as the inequalities that they face. Everywhere in the world, girls experience gender discrimination, which is a serious issue. The conservative mentality of the rural population and religious mysticism typically make things worse. In the current era of digitization, misconceptions still exist, as many parents in rural areas believe that their daughter will find it difficult to marry them as she gets older. Daughters are angels from above who pour infinite love into our hearts. Society must also step forward and eliminate all social injustices that have existed since antiquity. Social ills like underage marriage, the dowry system, alcoholism, etc. are major roadblocks to girls’ overall development and cannot be overcome without society’s active participation. In the age of globalisation, small but consistent shifts in societal thinking have taken place, which is encouraging females in obtaining all of their human rights, respect, and ideals in the nation. In this nation, violence against women and girls has been prevalent. The wicked part of humanity has come to light through eve-teasing, molestation, rape, gang rape, or acid attacks. Such criminals ought to be dealt with swiftly in court and not be shown any clemency. The main causes of domestic violence, which is also a social ill, are the dowry system and drunkenness. Since alcoholism has poisoned society’s foundation, it needs to be entirely abolished nationwide. The safest and most secure environment for girls is supposedly at home. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of sexual assaults have been committed by family members or other recognised individuals who could be held accountable for the girls’ safety and security as per reports. Another important component is psychological empowerment since girls are raised with the belief that they are the weaker sex and are subjected to a range of restrictions and shackles. Another significant concern that has an impact on the demographic issues in India and other nations is female foeticide. Some societies also engage in infanticide, or the murdering of a daughter as soon as she is born. Even though it is forbidden and penalised, it nonetheless exists in some social groupings. Unfortunately, most women—whether they be grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters, or anyone else—have been held accountable for such inhumane acts for a variety of reasons. According to Census 2011, India’s sex ratio is 943 and its child sex ratio is at 919, which paints a terrible picture of the nation. The decrease in the child sex ratio from 927 in 2001 to 919 in 2011 shows that society is denying girls of their right to life as well as their human rights. Girls’ empowerment is therefore essential for a better future. In the last decades, India has made great progress toward empowering women. Girls in many areas of the country are no longer confined to the four walls of the home; instead, they participate in every aspect of life. They are dismantling the limitations and obstacles that were placed on them in former times, and they have made themselves known in every industry, including engineering, medicine, law, police work, flying, journalism, agriculture, dancing, modelling, music, and both large and small screen media etc. Nowadays, they can be found competing with males and establishing their worth in almost every profession. The girls need wings to fly, not chains and suffering to cry and die. In order to end discrimination and provide females with the chance to advance in life, the Central and State governments in India have created a variety of programmes specifically for them. Its immediate effects can be seen in the drop in female literacy rates from 8.86% in the Census of 1951 to 65.46% in the Census of 2011. A number of States including the J&K government have also launched ambitious programmes that are reversing the long-standing pattern of discrimination against girls. Increasing public awareness and giving girls new opportunities in society have paved the way for significant transformations. They are now the family’s source of pride rather than a burden.

The girls need to be empowered to combat societal ills and gender crimes in addition to raising awareness in society. National Girls Day and International Girls Day are excellent opportunities to reflect on, analyse, and take worldwide action on both good and bad issues affecting girls. Government programmes alone will not eliminate gender inequality and prejudice. In order to preserve the seeds of human creation, which are present in the form of girls, parents and society have a crucial role to play.