Girl Child

Gender discrimination is a fact of life in almost all societies. The difference is only in degrees, forms, manifestations and practices. The belief that gender discrimination is specific to certain poor or conservative, castes or communities is rather misplaced. In fact such other discriminatory factors like caste, class, ethnicity and so on further reinforce gender disparities, cumulatively making women in the these circumstances victims of double or triple discrimination. The girl child's right to survival, health care and nutrition, education, social opportunities and protection has to be recognized and made a social and economic priority. Along with this the basic structural inequalities that cause poverty, malnutrition and the low status of women have to be addressed, if these rights are to be ensured. This is the responsibility and concern of everyone. Only a concerted mobilization and action by all can help to create a new environment for the girl child labour and help her to awaken to a new dawn. We should have acted yesterday. Today is already late. Let us not make it any later. Now is the time.