Let HER grow!!!

I was the only child. After 14 years of the birth of their first child, my parents were happy to hear the euphony of a newborn baby’s sounds.They were happy, actually ecstatic. I had never seen them so contented. I too, was overjoyed to have a sister.

But, the people around us didn’t seem to be happy. Lot of people came to the hospital to see the new member of our family; some brought flowers; some, fruits; some, toys and some, cute pink frocks. They were people of different caste, profession and religion. But, one thing was similar. Almost all of them advised my mother to have another baby – to take a chance to give birth to a boy. Many of them said,“She is so unlucky, she has two girls.” I didn’t quite understand this concept then.  Isn’t giving birth to a child the happiest feeling? Probably, not.

According to census 2011, sex ratio of children of 0-6 years in rural areas is 923 females for 1000 males. It is lower in urban areas; it is 905 females for 1000 males. India and China is responsible for 80 per cent of world’s missing women. MacPherson estimates that 100,000 abortions every year continue to be performed in India solely because the foetus is female.

Though there is almost equal enrolment of both sexes in primary schools, a female child still lacks equality when it comes to higher education and decision-making. Though the number of enrolment in schools have increased, the problem of attendance still persists. A girl might not experience outright discrimination; but a lot of times there are discriminations that are too subtle. Her brother might be served more nutritious food, sent to a better school, given more freedom in comparison to her. Preference of a male child, dowry, and responsibility of the security of a girl child in these times has engendered gender discrimination.

Haryana, which has one of the lowest sex-ratios in the country, has taken a subtle step to create awareness about the saving the girl child. The Haryana Women and Child Development department has proposed to the State Election Commission to stamp the logo of “Beti Bachao, beti Padhao’ on the voters’ hands in addition to the indelible ink which is applied on the finger. With the launch of ‘Beti bachao, Beti Padhao’, Prime Minister Modi has ensured that girls become independent socially and financially. This scheme, if works to the extent Mr. Modi desires, will be a boon for India.

These statistics might not invoke in you the sense of depth of this problem. But when you see your mother, sister, friend and partner facing atrocities under the name of gender biases, you might empathise with this problem.

You might say how one can change this deep-rooted issue at an individual level. On this International Day of the Girl Child, take a pledge to educate yourself and others of the trauma a girl child faces. Because educating and influencing people is the first step to a big change.