National Girl Child Day 2022: Date, History, Significance And Quotes

Even today, we live in a society where tradition and rituals outline the existence of a girl child to a great extent. There are families who do not want to give birth to daughters, kill them in the wombs or raise them to their full potential. As a result, we witness an adverse sex ratio which is a simple product of a patriarchal mindset.

This means a girl child's struggle starts even before the day she is conceived. We all know that female foeticide is a heinous and worrying practice and even though it is illegal to practice in India, cheap ultrasound and abortion technologies allow families to exercise there preference for male child over female child. This sums up that a a girl is 'lucky' if she is allowed to be born. But what we fail to understand is that when we save a girl, we save generations!

The inequality itself poses a great threat to a girl child's progress which includes areas like education, nutrition, jobs, legal rights, medical care and so much more. Therefore, an initiative - National Girl Child Day or Rashtriya Balika Diwas - was launched in 2008, by the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Indian government to celebrate daughters and create awareness about girls' experiences in society.

When is National Girl Child Day Celebrated?

On 24 January 2009, for the first time National Girl Child Day was celebrated. This day is marked by organising numerous awareness campaigns and events. Apart from that many schemes and laws were also implemented to put an end to discrimination against a girl child and that they can be seen as equal to sons. This day also hopes to encourage and empower the daughters of this county.

National Girl Child Day 2022: Theme

Every year a new theme is associated with the National Girl Child Day. The theme of Girl's Day in the year 2020 was 'My voice, our common future'. The theme of Girl Child Day 2021 was 'Digital Generation, Our Generation'. The theme of the year 2022 Girl's Day has not been announced.

National Girl Child Day: History And Significance

In 1996, Indira Gandhi became the first woman Prime Minister of India on 24 January which makes it an important day in the Indian history and speaks volumes about the empowerment of women. Therefore, this special day is marked as the National Girl Child Day in this country.

This day holds immense significance because it makes people aware of the discrimination faced by a girl child in society and also make a girl child understand her rights in this country. Awareness programs and initiatives such as the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao / Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child campaign, Beti Zindabaad, etc. are also organised by state governments to close the gender gap and give every girl child the equal opportunity to grow, have dreams and fulfill them.

According to a report in Business Standard, India's overall sex ratio, which means women per thousand men is now at a level seen in developed countries. For every 1,000 men, India has 1,020 women, says fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data. If that's a reason to celebrate, there is a cause for concern, too, since the sex ratio at birth continues to be lower than what is naturally expected, mentioned this report.

National Girl Child Day 2022: Quotes, Slogans and Messages

• 'Little girls with dreams become women with vision'. Happy National Girl Child Day!
• 'A world without girl is as impossible as a world without water'. Happy National Girl Child Day!
• 'Baby girls are like flowers forever in bloom!' Happy National Girl Child Day!
• 'Save the girl child if you want to save the future of this country'. Happy National Girl Child Day!
• Don't let life end, before it even begins. Save Girl Child!
• An educated woman has the power to educate the whole family.
• No girl, no mother and ultimately no life. Save Girl Child!
• A girl child brings joy, she is no less than a boy.
• 'When girls are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous.' - Michelle Obama
• 'A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.' - Coco Chanel.

If you have a daughter, don't forget to make her feel special on the occasion.

Happy National Girl Child Day!