Beyond Gender Inequalities, Towards an Egalitarian Society | National Girl Child Day | truCSR

Written by: Samreen Saify

Compiled and Edited by: Rebecca Shibu

Gender inequality has always been a sad reality in our society. Time and again, it has been enforced, reinforced, enacted and even sanctioned by evoking culture, religion, laws, and, in extreme cases, violence. Gender-based injustices are deeply embedded in Indian societies, so much so that the Child Sex Ratio, according to the 2011 census, stands at 919 girls per 1000 boys, the lowest in the country since 1961. The social-economic-cultural thinking in India further bolsters the preference for male children besides increasing the instances of female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriages, etc. The injustices meted out towards girls are fundamentally justified and subsequently undertaken on the grounds of the biological differences between girls and boys. 

Initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008, National Girl Child Day is celebrated in India on January 24 every year. The central premise behind the observance and celebration of this day is to spread awareness pertains to the gender-based discrimination that girls are subjected to in our society and bring attitudinal changes among the masses by highlighting the same. The observance of National Girl Child Day is, in a way, a recognition of the multiple structural inequalities that underlie our social order. A reminder to believe that change is possible and to work for it at whichever level possible is something that we, as a society, should be striving for.  

India is a highly patriarchal and male-dominated society. Due to this, even after years of education, economic progress, globalization and many other technological advancements, girls still face discrimination in nearly all aspects of life. To emend this, the Government of India has taken several initiatives over the years to improve their condition. Numerous campaigns and programs such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, PC & PNDT Act, Ladli scheme, reservation for women in colleges and universities, etc. have been initiated to reduce the gaping holes caused by the endless discrimination and injustices. Schemes and policies by both central and state governments have majorly been developed to encourage families to have girls and nurture them well. Some of the objectives that these schemes aim to achieve include:

• Reduction in the instances of female foeticide;
• Upliftment in the status of girl children in the family;
• Protection of the future of girl child and improvement in the quality of her life; and
• Education and spreading awareness to change beliefs, attitudes and practices.

The lives of girl children are mired with gender disparities, injustices and discrimination. In households, primarily among the underprivileged and economically weaker sections of the society, preference is given to male children. More attention is paid towards their health care, education, nutrition and overall development for the matters of inheritance and descent. Gender discrimination is regarded as the primary cause of malnutrition among girls. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)–IV (2015-16), the prevalence of anaemia among adolescent girls aged 15-19 years is 54%. They are also more likely to drop out of school because of the disproportionate burden of housework and gendered expectations. The traditional gender norms push girls into helping with household chores and sibling care, resulting in irregular attendance and eventually dropping out. Due to the things highlighted above as well as early marriages, lack of safety in schools, and low aspirations related to girls' education, the dropout rates among girls are as high as 57%. The COVID-19 crisis has further upsurged the injustices meted out on girl children. According to a report, in India alone, COVID-19 has affected the education of nearly 290 million children with girls bearing the major brunt. Furthermore, the heightened economic insecurities have resulted in low nutritional levels, neglect, abuse, rise in instances of child marriages, etc. 

Achieving gender equality has been one of the primary focuses of all the national and international mandates in recent years. In their lives, girls experience several problems and challenges that inevitably hinder their growth and development and the overall quality of life. Thus, adopting adequate measures so that they remain in school, inculcating within them skills and abilities, raising their nutrition levels and adopting proactive measures to advance their liberties and rights should be part of our COVID-19 response measures. The contemptuous gender reality of our country demands a highly effective gender-appropriate Covid-19 response so that we don't lose the gains, we have achieved over the years, concerning women's rights and well-being in education, health and empowerment. 

- Team truCSR

truCSR is a social engagement platform run by a group of professionals with a passion for social development with a cumulative experience of more than 100 years in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (#CSR), finance, taxation, corporate and allied laws, corporate governance and strategic management. The platform seamlessly connects Implementers and Contributors to amplify the #CSRimpact and accelerate the process of social change with digital solutions. This platform is owned and developed by a company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

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