For many years, the Government of India and other important social actors have persistently endeavoured to safeguard and enhance the standing of women within the country. Diverse initiatives, such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao for promoting girl child education, Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) for improving maternal health, and the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate for financial security, have been implemented with the explicit aim of providing comprehensive protection and empowerment to women in India. These endeavours are designed to facilitate holistic development and foster resilience within women, enabling them to thrive in society.
It has been often said that “When you educate a boy, you make him ready to become a breadwinner, but when you educate a woman, you empower an entire generation”. Considering this, it is important to analyse that, despite being in 2024, why empowering women is still a debatable issue to many and how as a society we can contribute towards giving Indian women their rightful dues. Lastly, is it true that a woman holds the future of a generation?
Empowering Women in India- Still a Challenge?
The journey of women empowerment in India has gone through monumental transformations. Through various twists and turns, women in India finally can walk shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts in every field. Be it in politics, corporate, educational institutions or defense forces, Indian women’s presence is finally imprinted in every industry. But, now the issue has boiled down to the unequal number of women representatives in this field.
The key constraints proven futile to the collective efforts for empowering women are- Educational Disparities, Economic Constraints, Gender Inequality, Lack of Quality Healthcare and Political Disparity.
Thus, it is important to discuss how as a society, we can eliminate disparities, to naturally integrate women empowerment into social norms and a naturally accepted social behavior.
Invest in Girl Child Education in India
Education is a fundamental right of every human being but for a woman, education is an integral source of getting free from the clutches of many generational social evils that still persist.
According to a report by UNICEF, it has been observed that even if $1.53 per day is invested in a girl child, then by 2030, developing economies can witness an expansion of their GDP by an average of 10%. Additionally, an educated woman serves as a cornerstone within societal structures, positively influencing key domains such as her family. Within this sphere, she advocates for comprehensive education for her children and fosters an environment receptive to the role of a working mother or wife if she pursues a career.
In her community, she becomes a source of inspiration, encouraging other women to strive for financial independence. Moreover, on a national scale, her contributions to overall development through her skills significantly contribute to the welfare of the nation.
Efforts should intensify to ensure every girl receives a consistent, quality education. Recent research indicates girls are increasingly committed to completing their schooling, perceiving it as essential for managing household duties, engaging with society confidently and acquiring vocational skills for future security and sustainability.
We Intervened
To make every girl child in India equipped with relevant and quality education and skills, Smile Foundation has been working at the grassroots for every girl child from a low socio-economic family to get the opportunity to enter a school and complete her education. Through programmes like Mission Education, Project Manzil and Swabhiman, Smile Foundation has been working through a life-cycle approach to change the lives of girls living in even remote corners of India.
From primary education to vocational skilling, our interventions are designed to invest in girl child and women of India with an education that allows them to be financially independent. Through Swabhiman, they can become entrepreneurs and break their relationship with generational poverty and insecurity.
We have aimed to support the government initiatives for girl child education in India to the slums and the remotest corners of the country. By introducing them to an enabling learning environment, new educational branches like STEM/STEAM and scholarship support to continue their education, Smile Foundation has been closely involved in getting girls and young women ready for a different, more empowered lives.
Invest in Girl Child’s Health in India
According to the 2011 census, India is home to 253 million adolescents out of which 47% of them are girls and despite such large numbers of their existence, it has been observed that adolescent girls often get neglected in welfare policies especially when it comes to health initiatives. Many studies suggest that adolescent girls suffer from high prevalence of anemia, lack of sexual health awareness and malnutrition which invariably affects their cognitive and physical development.
On the other hand, poor sexual and reproductive health adds fuel to their development. Problems like early pregnancy and lack of reproductive health not only affect the health of a young woman but also her children.
Considering these issues that have been affecting the overall health of girls in India, no girl child should be kept away from the protection and optimal use of universal care.
Smile Foundation’s Responsibility for the Girl Child
Inspired by United Nations SDGs, Smile Foundation’s Swabhiman programme, has been carefully tailored for young girls and women of every age living in the nooks and corners of the country to leverage the best of healthcare facilities and treatment. With a special focus on uplifting their reproductive health and nutrition enhancement, the programme works closely with social institutions like Angandwadis for palpable social change, like enhancing the required intake of nutrition. Furthermore, Swabhiman also facilitates primary and advanced healthcare for women by being a bridge between them and public-private healthcare facilities.
We, as a nation, must remember that those days are gone when a girl was considered a burden. Many examples in our day-to-day life have been witnessed that when we invest in girl child and a woman is given the right opportunities to grow, she not only empowers herself, but steers the directions of development for communities that intrinsically results in national welfare.
Invest in girl child education today by making generous, meaningful donation to empower girls with good health and wings to fly towards newer skies.
