National Girl Child Day (NGCD)

• 27 Jan 2024

Why in News?

National Girl Child Day (NGCD) is observed on 24^th January every year to shed light on the challenges faced by girls in Indian society.

• The day focuses on creating awareness about the inequalities girls encounter and advocates for equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and nutrition.

Key Points

• NGCD was established by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2008.
  • The initiative acknowledges the unique challenges faced by girls, including child marriage, and gender-based violence.
• NGCD commemorates the inaugural anniversary of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child) launched on January 22, 2015.

Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme

• About:
  • The Scheme was launched to addresses the declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and related issues of women’s empowerment over a life-cycle continuum.
  • It is a Tri-ministerial effort of the Ministries of Women and Child Development (MW&CD), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MH&FW), and Ministry of Education.
• Main Objectives:
  • Prevention of gender-biased sex-selective elimination.
  • Ensuring survival & protection of the girl child.
  • Ensuring education and participation of the girl child.
  • Protecting rights of Girl children.
• Innovative Interventions under BBBP: Innovations that have created a positive ecosystem/ enabling environment for girls include:
  • Guddi-Gudda Boards: (Display of Birth Statistics (number of Girls born vis-à-vis number of Boys) in public).
    • Example: Jalgaon district, Maharashtra has installed digital Guddi-Gudda Display Boards.
  • Breaking Gender Stereotypes & Challenging Son-centric Rituals: Celebration of birth of the girl child, dedicating special day on value of girl child, plantation drives symbolizing nurturing and care for girl child.
    • Example: Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Selfie with Daughters (Jind district, Haryana).