Every year on 24th January, National Girl Child Day is observed. People across India celebrate this important day. It’s a day to celebrate all the Indian girls who accomplish great heights instead of facing so many extraordinary challenges.
This annually celebrated day is to remind all the people about how important it is to treat a woman with respect in any society.
National Girl Child Day: History
Back in 2008, this special day was established by Ministry of Women and Child Development, and Government of India. Every year it is celebrated with a particular theme.
The National Girl Child Day was initiated to acknowledge and appreciate the sacrifices and the major challenges faced by the girls. Since birth, a girl child goes through many hurdles. Since childhood, a girl goes through gender inequalities, gender-based violence, exploitation, sexual abuse, limitations in education.
Purpose and Goals
This special event holds a great importance as it acknowledges and addresses the major issues faced by the girl children of India.
The National Girl Child Day promotes gender equality. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness and educate people about providing equal education, proper healthcare. This initiative upholds for a society where girl children can get equal opportunities and contribute significantly.
The objective is to make the people aware about their meaningful contributions in the society. The presence and their hard work should be considered important and no less.
Programs and Campaigns
The National Girl Child Day coincides with different programs and campaigns launched by the Indian Government. This includes Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the daughter, Educate the daughter). This campaign was also established to make people learn about the importance of education, violence against girls, child discrimination.
National Girl Child Day: How is it Celebrated?
Annually on this day various awareness campaigns are organized, various films and plays that are women centric are shown to shed a light on the fact that a woman plays a significant role in a society.
Theme of 2024
The Government of India is yet to announce the theme of the National Girl Child Day 2024.
Previous significant themes included, ‘Digital Generation, Our Generation,’ in 2021, ‘My Voice, Our Common Future,’ in 2020, and ‘Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow,’ in the year 2019.
We are living in the 21st century and still there are many who look down upon women. There are parents who think that a girl child brings bad luck in their lives and therefore decides to kill them. There are still some families who are ready to arrange heavy dowry so that they can get rid of their daughter. All these practices need to stop. If not now, when?
Therefore, a day like the National Girl Child Day is a reminder to provide love, care and respect to a girl, a daughter, a sister, a mother and a wife.
