The Government of India declared 24 January as National Girl Child Day in 2008. Since then, the ministry of women and child development has been promoting this day to spread public awareness about inequalities that girls face in Indian society and politics. The National Girl Child Day theme 2025 is “Empowering Girls for a Bright Future”. This theme emphasises the need to provide girls with equal opportunities to lead and shape their future while recognising their vital role in society.

The day is celebrated nationwide with organised programmes, including awareness campaigns about ‘Save the Girl Child’, child sex ratios and the creation of a healthy and safe environment for girls.

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The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has saluted the indomitable spirit and accomplishments of the girl child on National Girl Child Day. Shri Modi has also recognised the rich potential of every girl child in all sectors. He said that over the last decade, our government has been making many efforts to build a nation where every girl child has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive.

With the mantra of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision stresses “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” also. That’s why the Union Budget for 2024–25, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, emphasised the critical role of Nari Shakti (women power) in India’s development. A notable Rs 3.3 lakh crore has been allocated across various ministries for women’s welfare and empowerment, which will boost participation in the workforce, enhance safety and security, and ensure an ecosystem of support through working women’s hostels and crèches.

Through financial inclusion, social empowerment, housing security and livelihood creation, India’s women are not only participants in but drivers of the nation’s growth story. But women are not in the same position everywhere. For addressing the challenges faced by women in rural areas, we need local knowledge and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Partnerships with NGOs, private organisations and local communities have been pivotal in reaching the last mile and creating sustainable change. These partnerships will ensure that women are equipped with the necessary tools and resources to lift themselves out of poverty, enhancing the overall development of rural India.

Another problem for women is that they are not aware of their rights and governmental schemes for their security and upliftment. That’s why they are facing subordination and violence everywhere—home and office. To generate awareness among all segments of society, digital literacy is important. Because the Government of India is now making all information and application portals available online. The theme for National Girl Child Day 2024 was “Digital Generation, Our Generation, Our Time is Now—Our Rights, Our Future”. The government has taken several initiatives for the digital literacy of women and girls so that they are able to operate digital devices (like computers, smart phones, etc.) and work on them for various purposes, including educational, commercial, and digital transaction purposes. One such initiative is “Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan” (PMGDISHA) under the Digital India programme. It aims to bridge the digital divide, especially targeting the rural population, including the marginalised sections of society, women, and girls, by covering 6 crore rural households. As per the Press Information Bureau, till 8 December, 2022, the percentage of women benefited under PMGDISHA is over 53 per cent of total enrolled, over 54 per cent of total trained, and over 56 per cent of total certified. In addition, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education is administering “National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology” (NMEICT) Scheme, Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM), SWAYAM PRABHA, National Digital Library (NDL), Virtual Lab, e-Yantra, National Education Alliance for Technology (NEAT) etc. to ensure quality education through e-learning to students across the country.

When girls are supported with the right resources and opportunities, their potential is limitless. And when they lead, the positive impact extends beyond themselves to their families, communities, and economies.

As the government continues to push forward with these initiatives, the vision of a developed India by 2047, where no woman is left behind, is becoming increasingly achievable.

The writer is associate professor of political science, department of liberal studies & social sciences, SGT University, Gurugram, Haryana