Dear Editor,
This refers to your thought-provoking article ‘Celebrating the Girl Child’ (by Barnali Das (ST- March 5). Girls can be anything they want to be and age is just a number. Our Constitution entitles women to equal opportunities and rights, but in some parts of the land the rate of female foeticide was high and the gender ratio terribly skewed. Girls are not being sent to school in many places and women face prejudice and discrimination at the workplace. It is very necessary for the girls to get full potential, safe and enabling environment. They should be aware of all their legal rights and the facts of life. When we invest in girls’ health, safety, education and rights – in times of peace and crisis – we empower them to reach for their dreams and build better lives for themselves and their communities. It’s a high time that we treat a girl child equally and give her same rights as that of her brother. Our law is also very shortly coming with an amendment to ensure that the girls also get equal rights and opportunity in all respects. Let us take a pledge to ensure protection of rights of girl children as part of the celebration. It is always the word, ‘Maa’ that is remembered while sick and at the death bed! A son is your son till he gets married, but a daughter is your daughter till death.
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad
