National Girl Child Day: Why Does India Celebrate It?
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National Girl Child Day: Why does India celebrate it?

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By Reyivolü Rhakho Updated: Jan 25, 2023 9:37 pm
National Girl Child Day in Nagaland
 Children in uniform seen during a cultural event on Oct. 26, 2022 in Kohima. Source: EM images.

The National Girl Child Day is celebrated in India every year on January 24 to raise awareness among the people of the injustices that girl child face in the country and to promote the rights of girl children.  

Which year did India start celebrating National Girl Child Day?

The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), Government of India, initiated this day in 2008 to spread public awareness about the inequities that girls face in Indian society.

National Girl Child Day 2023: Theme

This year, the Ministry of Education celebrated National Girl Child Day under the theme “self-defence training for girls” to impart basic techniques of self-defense.

In the past, the MWCD used to announce annual themes for the occasion but has not announced one in 2023. Past themes were ‘empowering girls for a brighter tomorrow’, ‘my voice, our common future’, and ‘digital generation, our generation’.

National Girl Child Day 2023: Plans

The MWCD in an update on Tuesday requested States/UTs and districts to organise activities relating to valuing the girl child from January 18 to January 24, 2023, with the hashtag #akamceIebratinggirlchildmwcd for promoting the current campaign on social media platforms.

This year, as part of the celebration of National Girl Child Day, the MWCD has decided to make the event a “Janbhagidari”.

Various activities have been planned to be held during National Girl Child Day, a special Gram Sabha/Mahila Sabha on Corporate Social Responsibility, an Oath taking ceremony/signature ceremony, a door-to-door programme, a programme with schools (both government and private) focused on the value of the girl child, posters and slogan-writing competitions, drawing and wall painting competitions among schools, community sensitisation programmes, a talk show on health and nutrition-related issues for girls, and a plantation drive.

The National Girl Child Day will also include the recognition and celebration of local champions in the fields of education, sports, social welfare, and community mobilisation, as mentioned in the statement.

National Girl Child Day 2023: Schemes and initiatives

The government has implemented various initiatives, activities, and schemes aimed at promoting education, health, and nutrition for girl children and raising awareness about their rights.

One of these initiatives is the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) programme, which was launched by the Government of India in 2015. This flagship initiative aims to prevent gender-based sex selective elimination, ensure the survival and protection of the girl child and enable their education. The Ministry reports that the program has made progress in various areas and has been successful in capturing the attention of the nation.

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By Reyivolü Rhakho Updated: Jan 25, 2023 9:37:16 pm
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