Bikaner, Dec. 31 (ANI): The whole world is changing but there are few who still imbibe old and rigid thoughts and live with it. When a girl child is born in their homes, they prefer killing them. Killing baby girls, or allowing them to starve to death, are something most of us cannot imagine. But it happens even today.
As shocking and disturbing as this behaviour is, however, we must look at it within its cultural context. Till date there are various households where they prefer boys over a girl child. By any chance if they come to know that the mother is expecting a baby girl, by all means they try to kill the child in the mother's womb.
However if by God's grace if a girl child is born, sadness looms in the house, where as if a boy child is born, there are celebrations in the house. Why is it that a boy is given more preference every time, in a country where we worship more goddesses than gods?
Today girls are far ahead in all spheres of life, be it home, sports and moreover we will soon see girls in the battle ground. Those days are gone where girls were not even allowed to fly kites. Today they are ready to be airborne. Recent reports say that six women flight cadets are training at the Air Force Academy near Hyderabad and stand a chance of becoming the country's first female combat pilots.
The zest and courage to do something in life have now put women on top of the world. But the bitter part is that women have to go through a lot and they have always strived for justice. There are fathers who do support their daughters and bring them up with a lot of pride, educate them and send them to colleges.
But there have been times when the society holds the girls responsible for crimes that take place against women. The parents of a girl are always fearful, once their daughter steps out from the house.
In many cases the society has held the girl or the survivor responsible. Such is the case of rape. People blame the girl for the clothes that she wears and she becomes a mockery including the parents and in extreme cases she is forced to commit suicide.
The country and the society really needs to ponder over the fact that if there are no women then there will be no mothers. The life cycle will end. Mankind will be extinct. Hence, it's crucial here that the society respects women and values their existence.
Nisha Chauhan who hails from Kolayat district of Bikaner which is in Rajasthan is one of the ladies who leads by example. According to inputs received, Nisha Chauhan who works with the NGO called Urmul Semant in the village Bajju of Kolayat block in Bikaner district is quite perturbed with how the society treats women. She has made sure that no women in her vicinity and in her region suffer. She sees to it that women get complete justice. So far she has tried to save each and every girl child in her village.
Some years back when she was informed that a woman had been admitted to a hospital for her delivery, she instantly rushed to the hospital. The lady gave birth to a beautiful girl. The family wanted to kill the girl child. She tried to convince the family, but all was in vain. Then she was asked by the family, if she had so much of love for the child, then she should adopt her. She instantly said "I will surely adopt this child."
Nisha adopted her and now she is five years old and living a wonderful life with her new parents. Nisha's husband too has completely owned her as their child. She studies in one of the private schools. The decision she took to adopt the child was solely hers. She did not feel the need to consult anyone at that point of time which later was accepted by her husband too.
Nisha as well her husband should equally be praised for taking such a progressive step in life. She did not just save the girl child but surely has taken care of her like her own. We salute people like Nisha and her husband, and we wish that people aspire to become like her. In old age most of the time it's the girl who supports her parents and takes care of them
Every cloud has a silver lining they say. Though female foeticide and infanticide is still widely prevalent across India, recent data points to a significant social change. Even in states with low sex ratios, such as Haryana, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, childless couples have been exhibiting a preference for girls.
Between April to June 2015, child adoption centers across India received 1,241 requests to adopt a girl against 718 for a boy. The Charkha Development Communication Network sincerely hopes that the society takes care of our girl child who are a new hope for many and are a blessing in disguise.
They are the flowers of life and we should let them bloom.
The views expressed in the article are of Ms Rukhsar Kosher .
