Beti Bachao Beti Padhao leading to Women empowerment towards breakthrough India

 Beti Bachao Beti Padhao leading to Women empowerment towards breakthrough India

Under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, a Nation-wide campaign was launched for celebrating the birth of Girl Child and taking steps to make her educated. The campaign aims at safeguarding that girls are born in a healthy environment, fostered well and knowledge is cultivated without chauvinism to turn into emancipated citizens of this nation with equal rights. A round about media initiative is being endorsed to generate recognition of the scheme and promulgating information about the subject across the country.

Woman in Indian society is given different connotations including “Durga”, “Laxmi”, “Mother”, “Love”, “Honour”, “Beauty”, “Pride”, but also “Prostitution”, “Rape”, “Trafficking”, “Acid Attack”, and “Slave”. Since primitive times in the Indian society, a girl child has been observed a malediction; a social burden, for “who will bear the heirloom of the family”; an economic burden, for “who is going to pay that substantial amount of dowry”. On some grounds, we have not been able to conquer these obsolete norms and conservative, dogmatic and rigid thinking. For these reasons, we keep on failing our girls.

Although we have adequate laws prohibiting female foeticide, the problem has not dissolved. As a matter of fact, many would assert that the issue has only become adverse. This potentially requires a distinct approach to solving this impending doom. We need families to celebrate having a baby girl. We can divert our thoughts to provide incentives to families having girl child in addition to penalizing the offence.

Girls are considered as “paraya dhan” in addition to carrying on the mass female foeticide. The logic in the mindset of some Indian families is fairly crooked. All the investments done on a girl child including on health, education, clothing and food would never yield any returns. In fact, these investments would need to be accumulated for a one-time dowry payment at the time of marriage. On the other hand, all the investments done on a male child are going to yield a substantial amount of return (presumption being that the boy would become the support of his parents in their old age) but the incoming dowry amount, at the time of the boy’s marriage, is also a net profit.

The only way to tackle this effectively is by abolishing dowry once and for all. Indians consider themselves proud about the extremely rich set of traditions they follow. Dowry is certainly not one of the traditions and needs to end.  Even after having stringent legislations to deter this practice, they are not quite effective. To deal with this effectively, in addition to the current laws and regulations, the idea of dowry has to be put  as obsolete and “out of fashion”. Various good Bollywood and regional cinema on the lines of “Toilet: Ek Prem Katha”  have showcased women and it should be actively encouraged with tax incentives. 

Additionally, the government could possibly reimburse a percentage of taxes paid by the parents of the girl child (if she survives of course) in their old age, that is, when they reach the age of 60 years.

Women empowerment signifies complete development of the society. An educated woman, with substantial knowledge about health, cleanliness, hygiene, is proficient enough to create a better, disease-free environment for her family. A self-employed woman does not only contribute to her family’s finances but also also capable enough to contribute towards the increment of the country’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). A shared source of income is more likely to uplift the quality of life of the family than a single income household. Educated women who are enlightened of their legal rights are less likely to become the victims of domestic violence or other forms of oppression. Women have inherent aptitude towards organization and well-rounded maintenance of home which directly makes them uniquely suited for political and civil leadership roles. There has been a marked reduction in corruption where participation of women is seen in political and social positions of power in those specific areas which continues to add another advantageous point in favor of women empowerment. Women have contributed in the rapid pace of economic development and have increased the demand for educated and trained female workers in almost all fields.

This new spectacular phenomenon has imparted economic power in the hands of women for in contrast to earlier days where they were totally dependent on males. Economically independent women feel more self-assured and optimistic about their private lives. Hence, they have become intelligent decision makers in regards to taking personal decisions, for instance, about their further education, marriage, etc.

We can now see women in almost every field: architecture, law, financial services, engineering, medical and Information Technology. They have also entered service occupations such as a nurse, a beautician, a sales worker, a waitress, etc.

Concluding Note

Women are increasingly and gradually seen progressing into spheres which were previously reserved for males (police, army, air force, chartered accountancy, commandos). In spite of their growing number in every domain, conceivably women still remain the world’s most underutilized resources. Many are still excluded from paid work and many do not make the best use of their skills due to social suppression.