Is Our World Safe For The Girl Child?

When we look at the developmental issues that are being addressed on global level, one very important and critical area that you will notice is that of Women’s health. This is of course a very broad topic and covers many subtopics as well. Women’s health is of utmost priority and importance for, her health and wellbeing determines the health of her family, society and the future generations. In fact we can very well state that the status of woman’s health in any society determines the status of the society itself. A society or community which respects women and safeguards her will turn out to be progressive and prosperous. However sadly the fact remains that even in the twenty first century gender bias and inequalities plague the sorry plight of women in most countries.

One of the very important areas under the general topic of women’s health happens to be the health and wellbeing of a girl child. People in advanced societies may be shocked to know that in the current times female infanticide is common in countries like Asia. The preference for a male progeny and the disregard for a girl child by the family is resulting in a skewed ration of females vs males and in many communities men are not able to find brides to get married to.

Most often the girl child is subject to gender bias and lacks access to education, nutrition and a protected environment. The early years of a girl child are the most important period for it determines and shapes the personality and character of the child in the later years. The childhood should be happy and safe for the child to explore and flower into a balanced individual. However the reality on the ground is something else altogether.

Statistics show that it is the children both boys and girls who in their early years face abusive situations in the form of physical and mental abuse as well as sexual abuse. The girl child is especially vulnerable to deprivation, sexual abuse as well as exploitation by men for commercial purposes. Such abusive situations lead to mental and behavioral problems in children and start showing up during their adolescent years in the form of mental depression, suicidal tendencies, affinity to alcoholism, drug abuse and aggression etc.

In most cases the girl child faces the risk of sexual abuse not from any outsiders, but from within the family and known relatives and friends. The incidence of child sexual abuse by known relative is fairly common in all societies including the developed economies as well. The perpetrators of such damage do not realize the impact of their action on the mental and psychological development of the child. Once scarred in life, the hurt and negative impact remains on the psyche of the child for ever and shapes her attitudes and behavior in the years to come.

The only way to eliminate this problem is to educate the parents and the family members and make them aware of the need to protect their children. Education and reformation through education of the society and building a strong ethical and moral conscience in the members of the society is the only way to make it safe for the girl to grow up in this world.