National Girl Child Day 2025 – Date

Celebrated every year on January 24, National Girl Child Day is an important occasion in India dedicated to promoting the rights, education, and well-being of girls. Established in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, the day aims to raise awareness about empowering girls and ensuring they live in an environment free from gender discrimination.

National Girl Child Day 2025 – History

Launched in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, National Girl Child Day focuses on highlighting the struggles girls face, such as gender inequality, limited access to education and healthcare, and harmful practices like child marriage. The day advocates for change and urges society to provide girls with the opportunity for a better future.

National Girl Child Day 2025 – Significance

National Girl Child Day celebrates the achievements of girls and women while also addressing the ongoing challenges they encounter. It serves as a reminder of the progress in women's empowerment in India, coinciding with the day when Indira Gandhi took office, and emphasizes the continuing fight for gender equality.

Government Schemes for the Girl Child in India

• Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana
• Balika Samriddhi Yojana
• Nanda Devi Kanya Yojana
• Mukhyamantri Kanya Suraksha Yojana
• CBSE Udaan Scheme
• Majhi Kanya Bhagyashree Scheme
• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
• Ladli Lakshmi Yojana
• National Scheme for Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education
• Mukhyamantri Rajshri Yojana

Laws That Protect Girls in India

• The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, aims to eradicate child marriage by penalizing those involved.
• The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, addresses child abuse, with revised rules in 2020 to strengthen implementation.
• The Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, ensures care and protection for children in need.
• Mission Vatsalya focuses on child development and protection, offering services like the Child Helpline and Track Child portal to assist missing children.
• The Track Child portal, operational since 2012, helps match missing children reported at police stations with those found in child care institutions.
• The PM CARES for Children Scheme supports children orphaned by COVID-19.
• Collaborations with NIMHANS and the E-SAMPARK program ensure access to mental health and medical care.

Sex Ratio

According to the 2011-2036 population projections report, India's population is expected to become more feminine by 2036, with the sex ratio projected to rise from 943 in 2011 to 952, reflecting positive strides toward gender equality.

Sex Selection and Abortion in India

The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) (PNDT) Act of 1994, amended in 2002, prohibits sex selection before or after conception and regulates prenatal diagnostic techniques. The aim is to prevent the misuse of these techniques for sex determination and female feticide.

The PNDT Act bans sex selection for any purpose, including the use of new chromosome separation techniques, ensuring no technology can be used to choose the sex of a fetus. While the MTP Act allows for abortion in cases of severe physical or mental disabilities, it does not permit abortion based on sex selection, even if one sex is less likely to suffer from sex-linked diseases.

In Conclusion

National Girl Child Day 2025 emphasizes the importance of empowering girls and tackling gender inequality in India. Through various government schemes, legal protections, and societal awareness, the day seeks to improve the lives of girls, ensuring they receive the education, healthcare, and protection they deserve.

The initiative also advocates for a balanced sex ratio, combats child marriage, and prohibits sex selection practices, striving towards a more inclusive and equal society for future generations of women.