Empowering the Girl Child is the Best Way to Empower the Nation"
Respected Teachers and my dear friends.
Today, on the occasion of Women’s Day, I, Sumrah Shakeel, stand before you to speak on "Empowering the Girl Child is the Best Way to Empower the Nation."
I submit that a woman sits at the centre of a family. If she is educated and enlightened about worldly matters rather than being limited to domestic affairs only, she can make the family progress socially, morally and, of course, economically. If a family progresses this way, a district progresses, a state progresses and, finally, the country progresses.
You’ll agree with me that such a stage of complete progress due to a woman is yet to be gained. Though we have discarded many age-old superstitions and beliefs against a girl child, discrimination against her still takes place in villages as well as in cities. There still exists a whole range of discriminatory practices like female foeticide, female infanticide, son idolization, early marriage and dowry.
With the passage of time and the kind of exposure that is available to girls now, this discrimination has certainly lagged behind. You’ll agree with me that today women are not behind men in any way. There are women entrepreneurs, pilots, doctors, army officers, planners, politicians and what not? They have truly shown their worth. Today’s women have woken up to their rights and responsibilities.We all are aware that we have amongst us some of the most powerful women in the world. These are our former President Pratibha Patil and the chairperson of the UPA, Sreemati Sonia Gandhi . Though we have progressed a lot, much remains to be done for empowering women. Since women are equal partners in every way, they need to be recognised as indispensable and equal. Their being empowered will mean the empowerment of the nation.
Thank you.
