National Girl Child Day 2020: India is observing National Girl Child Day on Friday. The occasion has been celebrated on January 24 since it was first announced by the Government of India in 2008. The need to mark a day for celebrating girl child arose due to years of atrocities and discrimination against them, especially in rural India, where girls are considered to be a burden on the family. Apart from that, women have often faced discrimination at the workplace and in other social situations as well. In an effort to change this line of thought among the people, the government had earmarked January 24 as a day to celebrate girls.
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The objectives of marking the day as National Girl Child Day are to make people aware of the rights of girl children, to increase awareness and discussion on the discrimination and atrocities against girls and to sensitise the public about the importance of education for girls and female health, hygiene, and nutrition.
Several people took to microblogging site Twitter to express their views on National Girl Child Day. Vice President of India M Venkaiah Naidu urged everyone to pledge that every girl child is educated and trained so that women of India are empowered. He further wrote, “Educating a girl is equivalent to educating a family.”
On National Girl Child Day today, let us all take pledge to ensure that no girl is left out of school and empower girls and women with relevant skills & training for their social and economical empowerment.
Educating a girl is equivalent to educating a family. #BBBP
— Vice President of India (@VPSecretariat) January 24, 2020
Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani wrote, “Today is a day to celebrate fortitude and accomplishments of every girl child. On National Girl Child Day, let us reaffirm our pledge to end discrimination against our girls and empower them with equal opportunities.”
Today is a day to celebrate fortitude & accomplishments of every girl child. On National Girl Child Day, let us reaffirm our pledge to end discrimination against our girls and empower them with equal opportunities. #MeriBetiMeraGarv pic.twitter.com/yjVUbKdtlw
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) January 24, 2020
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju also took to Twitter on the occasion. He said that all the centres of Sports Authority of India are celebrating the day with the theme ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’.
Our athletes in SAI Training Centers all over India are celebrating ‘National Girl Child Day’ with the theme #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao as launched by PM @narendramodi ji. Let’s all of us celebrate the “DAUGHTER” in our life as #MeriBetiMeraGarv. pic.twitter.com/7MVYqt4Wg0
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) January 24, 2020
The official Twitter handle of Indian National Congress also marked the day by hailing every girl and woman of India, saying that it saluted every one of them. It wrote, “As a nation we must make a promise to end all discrimination, violence & prejudice against girls and women.”
As we celebrate #NationalGirlChildDay we hail every girl & woman of India for staying strong in the face of adversity.
We salute each one of youAs a nation we must make a promise to end all discrimination, violence & prejudice against girls & women. pic.twitter.com/S0WxozZxuP
— Congress (@INCIndia) January 24, 2020
