Girl Child

 The need to celebrate the girl child day in 2023 is itself the tavestry of gender justice, or rather, gender injustice. Once upon a time, a girl child used to be considered a blessing. There used to be proverbs such as " your first born is a daughter/of wealth it signifies a shower". A girl used to be considered the literal reflection of a goddess, and used to be so worshipped. 

Such have been changes in the social perceptions that a daughter, whatever her position in the birth order, started being the curse, a liability for parents. Hence this need to accord her significance in the public sphere.

Unfortunately, such disregard for daughters needed to be (a)mended even in the so-called 'modern' first world countries. In Britain, for instance, the right to the throne of a princess, despite the birth of younger brothers, became an ordinance only in the second decade of the twenty first century!

In India, such corrective ways have indeed brought in some welcome changes. From a state like Haryana, for instance, now come a sizable number of women players in all sorts of sports. If a state, earlier known for utmost violations of gender justice, considers the uncertain arena of sports as a certain career choice for the daughters, it is a great and most welcome change.

Yet all is not well at all. A girl does not yet have the decisive right to say 'no' to any proposal. As her life choices are still guided thus as per the patriarchal mode, if a girl does not accede to any such proposal, she is still considered/called a 'chudail'. 

Well, the wheels of that juggernaut called social change, rattle real slow. It is hence a great sea change that many parents, at least in a socially less challenged state like Maharashtra, are slowly but surely, happy with only one daughter as the progeny/heir.  

Hopefully, sooner and surer, many such changes get welcomed in the public space, and the respect for girls and women becomes the norm, rather than an exception.

Pratima@ One such much needed change is the recognition that girls do NOT like to be chased as a trophy as shown in Bollywood films. Such a pursuit is not a tribute to any girl. It IS a direct insult to and violation of her 'agency' and privacy, most importantly.