Save the Girl Child

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.