I would recommend the following measures to save the girl
child:
Create public awareness about the importance of
having a girl child. We may talk about having a healthy male to female sex
ratio. We may emphasize that it is the ladies who contribute a lot to our
economy, households, society and of course, are needed for the survival of our
species!
Provide wholesome nutritious meals, adequate
clothing and safe shelter to the girls/ladies.
Provide hygienic, affordable sanitation
facilities at home and in public.
Provide a safe environment, be it at home,
office or in public. Strict measures must be implemented against eve-teasing,
stalking, rape and sexual harassment, cyber-harassment, sexual exploitation,
slavery, bonded labor, child-labor, honor-killing, domestic violence, murder, those
troubling women due to superstition, etc.
Security must be strengthened at all public
places and places where girls/women spend considerable amount of their time,
such as schools, colleges, universities, hostels, work-places, etc.
Sensitize the boys and men regarding the status
of girls and women in our socio-cultural and economic milieu and the need to
treat them with respect. Men must stop taking women for granted in all aspects
of life.
Men must share the household chores and actively participate in
rearing children.
The State must provide free, quality education
and vocational training to girls/women to enable them to fend for themselves in
life and gain economic independence. Zero-interest loans may be given for
higher educations, setting up of enterprises, children’s education, etc.
The State must provide schemes wherein women
will be assured of low-cost, good housing with proper amenities.
Sanitary napkins must be made available, free of
cost to all the ladies.
Impart training on the importance of maintaining
proper personal hygiene, regular medical check-ups and screenings for
women-specific ailments like breast cancer, ovarian, colo-rectal, cervical and
mouth cancers, fibroids, cysts, heart problems, cholesterol and B.P., etc.
1Give handsome incentives to those who look after
their daughters properly, adopt girl children and refuse to take and give
dowry.
1
Strictly penalize offenders responsible for
female infanticide like the guilty parents who go in for sex-screening, people
who advise or coerce them to do so, illegal labs that conduct such procedures, people
who dispose off dead fetuses, doctors and radiologists involved; to serve as a
deterrence for other likely offenders.
.
Rehabilitate the girls/women who run away from
their homes due to some unavoidable circumstances, are victims of rape or
immoral trafficking, abandoned by their families due to psychological
disorders, female prisoners, etc.
.
They must be provided free counseling, treatment,
rehabilitation in safe shelters.
Legislate tough laws for those responsible in
committing crimes against women and implement them immediately whenever
necessary.
Free medical treatment may be provided to
girls/women at public health centres and the State must bear the cost of
life-saving surgeries, medicines and post-operative care.
Old- age homes, destitute homes, rehabilitation
shelters, orphanages may be specially constructed exclusively for females.
Incentives must be given to women achievers in the
form of monetary compensation, prizes, awards, material benefits like land and
sewing machines, etc.
Women must share equal rights in
ancestral/parents’/husband’s/ex-husband’s/live-in partner’s property.
If women are discriminated against on the basis of
caste, religion, sexual preferences, job preferences, dressing styles, etc. the
perpetrators must be strictly punished.
.
Senior female citizens and those released from
their prison terms and mental asylums; must be given pensions, nursing care and
attendants, if desired, by the State.
There must be reserved vacancies for
economically weaker sections of women. They must be exempted from paying the
fees applicable for filling forms for recruitment exams conducted by UPSC,
MPSC, SSB, other Govt. exams, etc.
Punish those who are responsible for preparing
and disseminating objectionable ads/films/videos/lyrics or ads/films/videos/lyrics
which portray women unfavorably.
Give aid to families for performing marriage
ceremonies/deliveries.
Provide incentives and amenities to ladies
employed as farm-hands, laborers, those employed in the unorganized sector,
entrepreneurs to live dignified and self-reliant lives.
.
Provide equal opportunities for women in
male-dominated fields like the police service, defence services, commando
teams, etc. Make them take an active role in politics and governance.
Provide clean drinking water and ensure adequate
supply of drinking water and water meant for general use at places close to
residence or ideally within the residences of women/girls to make their lives
easier. They shouldn’t have to commute for long distances to fill water. It
will save their time, energy and protect them from sexual harassment. They can
use the time saved in other fruitful activities.
.
Free computer training to be provided to all the
girls/women. Laptops/PCs/Mobiles to be provided free of cost or at subsidized
rates to them.
Empower the women to feel that they are partners
in progress of the nation.
Make the girls/women happy and proud that they
were born in India and on Mother Earth!
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The copyright of this article is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
