Fida Firdous
The rights of the girl child have never been fully put into practice. There are various reasons, the most important one being the underestimation of a girl’s potential. From the home to schools, we underestimate girls’ innate capacities. Providing opportunities, appreciation, and space can empower girls, yet we often fail to do so. Why? The reason is that we think a girl is not a permanent member of the family, which again leads to the exploitation of the girl child. We start exploiting girls as labourers in nuclear families and in various sectors as domestic workers, where they are often further exploited.
Empowering the girl child means providing opportunities to learn, live with safety and security, enjoy equal status, remain free from exploitation, and utilise her full potential. There are various ways to empower the girl child and, in turn, empower the nation.
Firstly, education is essential. We often see that educational opportunities for girls are lacking in rural areas, especially in tribal and Gujjar areas, where girls leave school at an early stage, sometimes as early as the fifth grade, and are not provided with further educational opportunities. Education is the foundation of empowerment, transforming a girl’s life and enabling her to adjust to different circumstances. Yet, many girls continue to face challenges such as school dropouts, poverty, early marriage, domestic responsibilities, and a lack of educational facilities.
Secondly, safety and security are a shared responsibility. Safety at home, in schools, in public spaces, and online can empower girls to pursue their education further. Safety is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right. Girls must be protected from kidnapping, trafficking, sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, cybercrime, and other forms of violence. Parents, teachers, community organisations, and law enforcement agencies must work in coordination to identify risks and protect vulnerable children. Girls should receive age-appropriate awareness about personal safety, safe and unsafe situations, online privacy, manipulation, and how to seek help. Schools and communities should establish accessible reporting mechanisms and ensure that complaints are addressed promptly.
Thirdly, equal freedom in the digital space is important for girls. A girl child deserves the same respect, opportunities, and status as a boy. Discrimination begins when families consider sons more valuable than daughters, restrict girls’ choices, or expect them to sacrifice their aspirations for household responsibilities.
Equal status also requires challenging harmful practices, including child marriage, gender-based violence, and the denial of property, educational, or economic opportunities. Mothers and fathers must share responsibility for raising children, ensuring that daughters grow up in an environment of love, fairness, and mutual respect.
Fourthly, to empower the girl child and make our nation stronger, we need to abolish child labour involving girls and end their exploitation. Child labour deprives children of their childhood, education, health, and opportunities for a better future. Girls are particularly vulnerable to hidden forms of labour, including domestic work, unpaid family responsibilities, hazardous employment, forced labour, and trafficking.
Fifthly, who is responsible, and who can take the lead in overcoming this menace? Mothers, families, and communities all have important roles to play. Mothers can play an important role in building confidence, providing guidance, and creating trusting relationships with their daughters. However, protecting and empowering girls is a shared responsibility of both parents, families, and society.
Open communication is essential. Girls should feel comfortable discussing their fears, friendships, online experiences, and personal difficulties without the fear of humiliation or punishment. Parents need to be aware of contemporary challenges, including digital risks, trafficking, substance-related vulnerabilities, and emotional manipulation.
Community-level mothers’ groups, women’s organisations, teachers, and youth volunteers can promote awareness, support vulnerable families, and coordinate with authorities. Counselling and parenting programmes can help families understand adolescent development and respond to children’s concerns sensitively.
In Kashmir, where women and girls are increasingly participating in education, sports, entrepreneurship, and public life, these efforts can strengthen the growing spirit of women-led development. Local organisations can further contribute through digital literacy programmes, career guidance, self-defence awareness, vocational training, and mentorship.
Lastly, economic independence and leadership are essential. Empowerment must extend beyond government employment. Girls should have access to skill development, entrepreneurship, self-help groups, financial literacy, and digital opportunities. Learning practical skills can help young women become economically independent, support their families, and create employment for others.
Girls must also be encouraged to participate in sports, public discussions, scientific innovation, cultural activities, and community leadership. Their achievements deserve recognition, while their failures should be treated as opportunities to learn rather than reasons to discourage them.
(The author can be reached at Fidafirdous8@gmail.com)