INDIA 24 Jan 2009 Government creates National Girl Child Day to discourage gender bias
In a bid to raise public awareness on the deep bias against female children in India, THE UNITED Progressive Alliance (UPA) government plans to observe Jan 24 as National Girl Child Day. The government hopes it will raise awareness of sex-selection abortion and female infant abandonment. The date marks the day in 1966 that Indira Gandhi took over as the first woman prime minister of India.
Families of limited economic means see daughters as a financial liability because of a religious tenet that requires the bride's parents to provide a substantial dowry to the groom's parents. Many couples choose abortion when they learn their unborn child is female. Gender bias also drives child marriage, child labor and child trafficking.
India has a skewed sex ratio, with fewer than 925 women for every 1,000 men, because of the gender bias.
UNICEF celebrate the Day of the Girl Child on 24 Sep. It is observed on 15 Oct in Bangladesh.
RELATED READING:
Government to declare National Girl Child Day on Jan 24 (The Economic Times 6 Jan 2009)
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET_Cetera/National_Girl_Child_day_on_Jan_24/articleshow/3942980.cms
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/nine-year-old-fan-inspires-abhishek-bachchan_100490393.html
Nine-year-old fan inspires Abhishek Bachchan
Thursday, January 20, 2011 4:04:46 AM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS) Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan was
impressed by the endeavour of nine-year-old Aishwarya Sharma, the
youngest ever to file a Right to Information (RTI) query for removal
of a garbage disposal site in front of her school.Abhishek met his
young fan in the capital during the CNN IBN Citizen Journalist awards
ceremony Wednesday night, where Aishwarya along with 16 other people
were awarded for their courageous endeavours that have brought a
change in the system.
"First of all, I would like to say that she (Aishwarya) is as
beautiful as her namesake and I am proud of her. She is far more
courageous than we are and is an inspiration for all of us," said
Abhishek, who was the chief guest at the programme.
A class three student, Aishwarya from Lucknow had filed an RTI query
for removal of a garbage disposal site in front of her school.
Remarkably, her initiative resulted in the cease of garbage dumping
and a public library has been constructed in that place.
However, when she was called on stage, Aishwarya looked more excited
about taking Abhishek's autograph rather than accepting her trophy.
The young girl even told him that she was a huge fan of his wife and
actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, to which he candidly replied: "I am
also a great fan, but of this Aishwarya (pointing towards the girl)."
The Bachchan family is known for its generosity, a characteristic
which was quite evident in Abhishek during the programme whether it
was helping the elderly winners walk up and down the stage after
presenting them with the award or touching their feet for blessings or
showing affection towards young awardees.
At the end of the ceremony, Abhishek said: "I feel very blessed and
humbled to lead the life that I do after knowing the kind of troubles
people go through but at the same time the positivity with which they
deal with troubles is very motivating."
"Their zest for life is infectious. The kind of initiatives that these
people from very young to adults is very inspirational. Whatever I can
do in my capacity, I pledge today I would love to help in whichever
way possible," he added.
The awards ceremony would be telecast Jan 26.
Tags: abhishek bachchan, aishwarya rai, autograph, awards ceremony,
blessings, cease, chief guest, citizen journalist, cnn, cnn ibn,
endeavour, endeavours, garbage disposal, generosity, namesake, New
Delhi, positivity, showing affection, young girl, zest for life
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