By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 24 Jan: Society for Health, Education & Women Empowerment Awareness (SHEWA), in collaboration with Sanjay Maternity Centre, today, celebrated the National Girl Child Day. The purpose of the day is to spread awareness among people about the inequalities girls face in India. It also aims towards promoting awareness about the rights of the girl child and to increase awareness on the importance of girl education, their health and nutrition
Dr Sujata, while speaking on the topic of ‘woman empowerment’, said, “Though women have made their mark in the academic field, they are unaware of their rights, which creates a number of problems.” She also highlighted various achievements of women in diverse fields.
Dr Sujata threw light on the role of women in building a prosperous society. She said literacy among women folk was the main pillar. This gender was most vulnerable to abuse and exploitation as their voices were not heard in male dominated society.
Till today, she added, a lot of girls face inequality in the society with respect to their right to education, nutrition, legal rights, etc. The main objective of celebrating this day is to spread awareness in society about these inequalities. The objective is to enhance opportunities for the girls in the country and to ensure that they get respect and equality.
Dr Pratik, Secretary, SHEWA, said several steps needed to be taken in order to give concrete shape to the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign. Teachers and parents had an important role to play.
Education, he added, should include gender studies in the core curriculum of schools so that students could examine gendered social norms critically and learn to develop egalitarian constructions of masculinity and femininity. Boys and young men had to be educated to value and respect women and girls, take responsibility for the increasing violence against girls, and respect girls’ rights to their own bodies. Girls must be empowered by their education to speak up when they are abused, protest unwanted advances and protect themselves, and to demand their right to bodily integrity and respect in and outside of their homes. Women empowerment is a must for their confidence, dignity and honour.
