EDUCATING GIRL CHILD

• There goes a saying 'Educate a man, you educate only that man, but if you educate a woman, you educate the entire family'. It couldn't be truer in a country like ours which is struggling its way out of the grips of social evils like dowry, female foeticide, child marriage & honour killings.

• Benefits of educating girl children are:-

1. The educated women can help in eradicating social evils like dowry, female foeticide, discrimination regarding education of girls, illiteracy and so on.
2. A girl who has had more than six years of education is better equipped to seek and use medical advice, to immunize her children, and to be aware of the importance of sanitary practices.
3. An educated woman can play a more dynamic role in addressing the economic challenges faced by the country.

• Steps taken for girl’s education

1. Awakening programs have been launched by the government for encouraging the girls education.
2. The introduction of TVs in rural areas and the 50% reservation given to females in Panchayats have played a positive role in motivating the society to educate the girls.
3. Several other policies like enhanced subsidy to girl entrepreneurs,various self employment schemes and Self Help Groups of women have resulted in mobilizing and directing the parents to get their daughters educated.

• Thus, for every educated woman, who is able to contribute to the family income, our country takes one more step towards progress. For every educated mother, who teaches her son to respect women, who stands up for her girl child and does not curse her existence, she helps us all take a step closer to living in camaraderie rather than conflict. For every educated young lady, who decides to wait till she's ready to marry and refuses to pay dowry, we lay the bricks for social reform and new thinking. But all these are possible only when a young girl is sent to school to study.