IndiaCSR News Network
NEW DELHI : CRY – Child Rights and You, a leading organization working for children’s rights in India has launched a nationwide campaign for the Girl Child – ‘Let her Fly’. The campaign aims to give the girl child in India the opportunity that she deserves to realize her full potential. Be it right to survival, education, health, protection and overall development and growth, this campaign will ensure 3, 61,612 girl children are not deprived of their rights and given equal opportunities.
India is home to nearly 212 million girl children (0-17 years) which constitute 48% of the child population of the country. While a large percentage of children in India face deprivation of their rights, the girl child is at a higher risk of vulnerability on accounts of her ‘gender’.
The girl child, more often than not, faces discrimination right from conception, through her childhood and all the way into womanhood. Be it the opportunity to survive, to education, healthcare and growth opportunities, girl children are neglected because of gender. Stemming from a deep rooted patriarchy, under the garb of ‘societal norms’ and tradition, the inequality is quite stark. The figures say it all. 56% adolescent girls (15-19 years) in India are anaemic. Nearly 45% girls In India get married before the age of 18 years. Roughly 50% of all working children are girls. School dropout rate amongst adolescent girls in India is 63.5%.
Susan Varghese, Head Global Operations, CRY, says, “CRY works across 23 states in India in over 200 districts to make sure that girl children are given their due and get equal opportunity as boys. We exercise a three pronged approach which includes community mobilization, working with the system and authorities for on-ground implementation and encouraging participation of the girl child to make her aware of her rights. With this campaign we hope to to break the shackles of outdated mindsets, prejudice and discrimination. We plan to inspire and encourage parents, teachers, families and communities to give the girl child the opportunities that she so rightly deserves “
