Women’s Web is saying Goodbye! Please make sure you read this important notification.
Over 2 lakh families in Haryana with infant girls have been sent special invitations for Republic Day this year. Here's why.
Over 2 lakh families in Haryana with infant girls have been sent special invitations for Republic Day this year. Here’s why.
The Haryana Education department has sent Republic Day invitations in the name of the girl child and the families will be seated in the front rows during the Republic day celebrations in their respective localities.
The idea behind this initiative is to make families look at their daughters from a different perspective. The state government is honoring the girls and their families on republic Day, so that they understand that the birth of a girl is not a matter of indignity but of high esteem. Daughters can also be leaders and bring privilege and glory to the family.
Haryana has a record of having skewed sex ratio which is way below the national average. Recently, the state has been in news for taking positive steps to encourage the birth of the girl child and has seen an improvement in sex ratio at birth for the month of December 2015.
The Education department of Haryana identified families where girls were born between January and December last year through the local schools. They invited the families of these children and the invitation is in the name of the girl child. It is an attempt to make families value their daughter more.
“We wanted to make the parents feel that it was because of their daughters that they were receiving respect. We want the perception about the girl child to change,” says an official from the Education department.
In another initiative, the most educated girl in the village will hoist the flag on Republic Day in her area and will also be the member of her school management committee for a year.
This is an enterprising manoeuvre to make families take pride in their daughters and giving girls a position of respect in the society. Haryana has long been displaying a dismal sex ratio. However, initiatives like these are not only helping in improving the sex ratio but also motivating people to educate their daughters.
While Haryana has been taking strict measures to prevent female infanticide, these initiatives are little steps in the direction of ensuring that a girl is respected and can live with dignity in the society.
Cover image via Shutterstock
read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
Please enter your email address