She is not a liability

In a remote village in a far off land, quick hands hurriedly arrange a cauldron of milk. The midwife brings the child out of the dingy hut. The child’s mouth is then covered with cow dung and the head immersed in milk by the father amid loud wails of the mother. After a few minutes, the dead body is seen hovering over the milk. It was that of a girl child, an unwanted child. Nerve-chilling, isn’t it?

While the birth of a son is announced with band bajaa, the birth of a girl child is considered insignificant. Such is the pathetic condition still prevailing in some sections of our society.

It is all in the mind; a thing, which you consider a liability often ends up becoming one. Consider the girl as nature - the more you nurture nature, the more it nurtures you. So is the case with girl children and women. She is worth a commitment, she is worth being nurtured and cared for.

Despite the many campaigns on gender equality, with even the UN declaring ‘gender equality’ as the theme for International Women’s Day 2020, a majority of girl children and women continue to remain ostracised in the society.

A girl child is not an extra mouth to feed, and is not paraya dhan.

She is Shagun, adding that extra value to your life.

She is bliss

The reluctant patient asked, “can I make the payment with my credit card”

Expenses have already been covered under your daughter’s family health policy, the doctor replied.

Holding her hand, the father walked out of the hospital - the same hospital where he had cried tears of grief 25 years ago because SHE was born.

Why tame her?

The pretty homemaker was taunted when she smiled at guests at her husband’s place.

She was a wonderful daughter, free-thinker, topper in academics, and yet a girl made to believe you are a perfect wife only when you do not raise questions at even the nonsense attitude of your husband.

Today, SHE is an independent psychologist counselling his mother now her patient on what real happiness is and prescribing antidepressants.

Every bit helps

All I want is education to stand on my own feet, said SHE.

Girls should not be educated, was her mother’s belief.

Kicked out of home and left to fend for herself, Grandmother’s support and encouragement was her first experience of women empowerment.

She is now a COO of a reputed company empowering other women in the industry. Her clients now include Officeworks, Nokia and Siemens.

What the society needs to know is she is a child, gender has to go only in the forms that she’d fill. Gender does not influence upbringing or the treatment meted out towards her. She is shy, submissive, obedient and her personality has got all that conform with feminine qualities. Encourage her to be assertive of herself. What starts at home continues through years when she is an individual grown up in the society. She is not one that fits only into the four walls of her room. Give her the wings to fly and not tie her with ropes of false beliefs.

When you spend money on her education, it is not an expense that cripples you.

Through this blog and our event Shagun, we only want to emphasise that -

She is an asset, not a liability
She’s the pillar that lays the foundation to a sweet home
She’s a miracle, not an obstacle
Appreciate her
Realise her potential
Let her be, what God intended her to be
She’s a human just like you and me