Since gender equality is a problem in India, the empowerment of the girl child is important to achieving social justice and progress. Having realized this, the Indian legal system gives girl children a variety of rights to protect and enhance their lives, to make them safe, educated and dignified.
These are the rights that deal with discrimination, exploitation and child marriage so that every girl has a chance to live an empowered and equal life. So here are eight essential legal rights every girl child in India should know about.
1. Right to Education
The Right to Education Act, 2009 says that it is the right of every child in India including that of girl children to free and compulsory education for all children in the age group of six to fourteen years. This legislation aims to close the gaps that are making it so that girls are not going to school: poverty and societal bias. Making sure girls can access education is how it gives girls the knowledge and skills to succeed.
2. Right Against Child Marriage
The prevalence of child marriage is still a big issue being faced by the girl child in India. The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 has fixed the legal age of marriage for a girl at 18 years to face this. The law penalises parents and community members who facilitate child marriage. It’s right that makes it safe for young girls not to get married early and go to school and grow as individuals.
3. Right to Equal Opportunities
The Constitution of India stipulates in articles 14, 15 and 16 equality to all citizens. These provisions protect from gender-based discrimination and ensure access by girls to equal opportunities in education, employment and social development. We cannot hope to achieve gender equality or empower girl children who will compete with boys on equal footing without this right.
4. Exploitation Protection Right
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, protects girls from sexual abuse and harassment. It is a wide law that creates the need for the offenders to be brought to justice and their victims to get the needed support. It also reinforces the safety and dignity of girl children in India and it deals with exploitation.
5. Right to Health and Nutrition
A series of government programs and legal mandates give girl children the right to access healthcare and nutrition in India. Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao are programs to ensure the holistic development of girl children by tackling issues related to malnutrition, health and mother’s ante-natal care.
6. A property or an inheritance right
According to the Hindu Succession Act of 1956 as amended in 2005 the daughters and sons have equal rights to inherit joint family property. This law ensures girl children equal claim on ancestral property, and makes them economically independent and socially prominent.
7. Protection from Trafficking
Girl children are disproportionately targeted for labour or sexual exploitation in human trafficking. The act barring such exploitation is the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act of 1956, along with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015. These laws have strict penalties for traffickers and rehabilitation of victims.
8. The Right to Birth Registration and Identity
Birth registration is the right of every girl child in India. Registration of Births and Deaths Act of 1969 requires the registration of every child’s birth to get access to education, healthcare and social security. Recognising the legal existence and the rights of a girl child starts at birth registration.
Challenges in Implementation
On paper, these rights exist, but they are not always implemented. Traditional mindsets, poverty, and unawareness still hamper their enforcement in rural areas and marginalized communities. For example, child marriage continues to be prevalent in some parts of India even though the practice is legally prohibited because of strongly held cultural values.
We all need to work with governments, non-governmental organizations and community leaders to raise awareness to end discrimination against all lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and to end homophobia and transphobia, and enforce these rights. Creating a supportive environment for girl children would require educating and empowering the parents, especially the ones in rural areas.
Conclusion
Girl children in India require legal rights to protect their well-being and to promote gender equality. These laws range from combating child marriage to providing equal opportunities to be a society that values and respects daughters. However, the road to real equity can only be achieved with group effort.
Let’s spread the word and stand for the causes that prevent girl children of India from falling prey to discrimination and ill-treatment and let’s work together towards a future where yet another girl child grows up with dignity, freedom, and the ability to follow her dreams.
