National Girl Child Day 2024: History, Objectives, Themes

PWOnlyIAS January 24, 2024 04:04 2291 0

National Girl Child Day, observed annually on January 24, shines a light on the challenges faced by girls in Indian society.

National Girl Child Day 2024: History, Objectives, Themes

Context:

National Girl Child Day, observed annually on January 24, shines a light on the challenges faced by girls in Indian society.

About National Girl Child Day 2024

Aim: It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about gender inequalities and advocating for equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and nutrition.
- It also promotes awareness about the rights of a girl child and addresses issues like child marriage, discrimination, and violence against girls.
Objectives of National Girl Child Day
- Promoting Gender Equality: The initiative aims to promote gender equality and challenge gender stereotypes that discriminate against girls.
- Empowering Girls: The National Girl Child Day aims to provide girls with the knowledge, tools, and chances they need to realize their full potential.
- Protecting Girl’s Rights: The initiative strives to safeguard girls against child marriage, malnutrition, and gender-based violence.
History of National Girl Child Day
- Inaugurated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008.
- It mark the anniversary of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 January 2015.
  - The initiative jointly run by three ministries—the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Education—
  - It aims to address the issue of the declining child sex ratio.
National Girl Child Day Theme For 2024

- No theme announced for National Girl Child Day 2024.
- Past themes include ‘Empowering Girls for a Brighter Tomorrow,’ ‘My Voice, Our Common Future,’ and ‘Digital Generation, Our Generation.’

National Girl Child Day: Significance

Increased Awareness: Spread greater awareness of the value of girls’ education, empowerment, and safety.
Rise in the female employment ratio, decline in female school dropouts and positive trends in the sex ratio in the country is the result of this increased public awareness.
Education Access: More girls are accessing education, increased female participation in higher education, and leading to higher literacy rates.
Child Marriage: A decline in the number of child marriages can be clearly noticed as a result of legal actions and awareness initiatives.
Girl Empowerment: Girls are becoming more empowered to pursue their aspirations, make their own decisions, and contribute to society.

Schemes for Girl Child in India

About Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

Date: By Prime Minister on January 22, 2015.
Aim: To address declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and women’s empowerment issues.
Ministry: Ministries of Women and Child Development (MW&CD), Health & Family Welfare (MH&FW), and Education.

Main Objectives

Prevent gender-biased sex-selective elimination.
Ensure the survival and protection of the girl child.
Ensure education and participation of the girl child.
Protect the rights of girl children.

Interventions under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

Guddi-Gudda Boards: Display birth statistics (girls born vs. boys born) publicly. Example: Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, has digital Guddi-Gudda Display Boards.
Breaking Gender Stereotypes & Challenging Son-centric Rituals: Celebrate the birth of the girl child, dedicate special days to highlight the value of the girl child, and organize plantation drives symbolizing care for the girl child. Example: Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Selfie with Daughters (Jind district, Haryana).

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY): A Scheme for the Girl Child

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, launched as part of the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign, is a small deposit scheme for girl children.

Benefits of the Scheme

Interest Rate: 8.40% (w.e.f 1st Oct, 2019), compounded annually, with an option for monthly interest payouts calculated on balance in completed thousands.
Triple Exempt Benefits: No tax on the amount invested, interest earned, or amount withdrawn, as per section 80C of the IT Act, 1961.

Eligibility:

Parents or legal guardians can open deposits for up to 2 daughters aged below 10.
In the case of twin girls as the second birth or if the first birth results in three girl children, deposits can be made for all three.
Only one account can be opened in the name of a girl child.
Initial deposit: Minimum of Rs. 250, with multiples of Rs. 150 thereafter, and an annual ceiling of Rs. 150,000 in a financial year.
Maximum Deposit Period: 15 years from the date of opening the account.
Maturity: The account matures on completion of 21 years from the date of opening or on the marriage of the account holder, whichever is earlier.

Education Scholarship for Girl Child

AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls	Objective: Support and motivate girls in pursuing technical education. Eligibility: Admitted to the 1st year of a Degree or Diploma program in any AICTE approved institute. Limited to one girl per family, extendable to two if income < Rs. 8 Lakh/annum. Scholarship Amount: Tuition Fee: Rs. 30,000/- or actual, whichever is less. Incidental Amount: Rs. 2,000/- per month for 10 months.
Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship	Objective: Assist meritorious girl students from Minority Communities. Eligibility: Girl students from Minority Communities with 50% marks in previous exam and income < Rs. 2.00 lakh. Scholarship Amount: Rs. 5,000/- per month for Class IX & X. Rs. 6,000/- per month for Class XI & XII.
Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	Objective: Support single girl children pursuing non-professional post-graduate education. Eligibility: Single girl children in regular, full-time 1st-year Master’s Degree courses in recognized universities. Scholarship Amount: Rs. 2,000/- per month for two years.
CBSE Merit Scholarship Scheme for Single Girl Child	Objective: Encourage education for girls with meritorious achievements. Eligibility: Single girl students with 60% or more marks in CBSE Class X, studying in Class XI & XII in CBSE-affiliated schools. Scholarship Amount: Rs. 500/- per month for two years.
Women Scientist Scheme-B (WOS-B)	Objective: Address career challenges faced by women in S&T. Eligibility: Women aged 27-57 with qualifications in S&T areas (excluding permanent employees). Scholarship Amount: Ph.D. or equivalent: Rs. 55,000/- per month. M.Phil./MTech or equivalent: Rs. 40,000/- per month. M.Sc. or equivalent: Rs. 31,000/- per month.

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National Girl Child Day FAQs

To raise awareness about gender inequalities and promote equal opportunities for girls in education and healthcare.

It was launched in 2008 and marks the anniversary of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme in 2015, addressing child sex ratio.

To prevent gender-biased sex selection, protect girls' rights, ensure their survival, and promote education and participation.

It's a deposit scheme for girls. Parents or guardians with up to two daughters aged below 10 can open accounts.

Scholarships include AICTE Pragati, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Post-Graduate Indira Gandhi, CBSE Merit, and Women Scientist Scheme-B. Eligibility varies.

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National Girl Child Day 2024: History, Objectives, Themes

Context:

About National Girl Child Day 2024

Objectives of National Girl Child Day

History of National Girl Child Day

National Girl Child Day Theme For 2024

National Girl Child Day: Significance

Schemes for Girl Child in India

About Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

Main Objectives

Interventions under Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY): A Scheme for the Girl Child

Benefits of the Scheme

Eligibility:

Education Scholarship for Girl Child

National Girl Child Day FAQs

What is the main objective of National Girl Child Day?

When was National Girl Child Day inaugurated, and why is it significant?

What are the objectives of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme?

What is the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and who is eligible for it?

What are some scholarships available for girls in India, and what are their eligibility criteria?

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