Is a girl child welcome in India?
In spite of knowing that answers differ from place to place and person to person, I still want to ask, “Is the birth of a girl child welcome in India?” Over small talk and casual conversations with people from various walks of life, I understand that the birth of a girl child isn’t considered a blessing due to the social ills that haunt every girl in our country. I, for one, yearned to have girl children and today I’m a proud mother of two intelligent, brave and kind girls.
74 years after free India was born, girls remain shackled with chains of injustice and prejudice. The making and unmaking of innumerable schemes for girl children have not done much to change attitudes because of the lacunae that hamper on-ground implementation.
Coming to think of how Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) has been implemented since 2014, the CAG reports from various states noted several challenges with the implementation of this scheme. Therefore, a long overdue intervention to ensure the basic survival of girls in a highly discriminatory environment did not do well.
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Dr Elsa Lycias Joel holds a doctorate in biotechnology, and writes for Delhi Press. She has worked with New Indian Express as sub editor. She has also authored a children’s book Perfect Endings signed by former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
