Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Today is Monday 30 September National Girl Child Day 2024. Every year on 30 September National Girl Child Day is celebrated in Bangladesh. In 2000, the Ministry of Women and Children issued an order to observe Girls' Day with the aim of increasing public awareness so that women are not discriminated or discriminated against in the Bangladeshi society.

According to the order, it has been decided to observe one day of the Child Rights Week (September 29 to October 5) i.e. September 30 as Girl-Child Day. The theme of the day is 'In 2024, the theme of the day is 'Bangladesh of the future in the dreams of girls'.

It should be noted that the International Day of the Girl Child is celebrated on October 11 every year since 2012 in the member states of the United Nations. Meanwhile, International Children's Week is observed from September 29 to October 5 every year. The second day of this Children's Week, i.e. September 30, is observed as the National Girl-Child Day. Within today's girl-child lies the ideal mother of tomorrow. Investing in girls will be the right investment.

Because today's girls and children can build an educated family and children capable of leading the world in the future. And all over the world, girls are neglected for many reasons. Health, education, dignity, love - they are deprived in all aspects. It is not just that the image of our country is like that. All over the world, girls and boys are being neglected in some places every moment. Apart from the family, they are being oppressed socially in various ways. One of the objectives of Girl Child Day is to eliminate gender discrimination in all areas including social and political workplaces. In the same way that a son is raised with care and education in the home environment, the same way as the importance is given to the education, it is said on this day to free a daughter-child from mental oppression.

Violence and atrocities against women and girls are on the rise around the world. About 45 percent of the total population of Bangladesh are children, who are below eighteen years of age. And among the children, 48 percent are girls-children, leaving behind them, the development of the country is not possible. Beyond Kanya-Jaya-Janani there is a large world of Kanya-Shishu. In addition to freely expressing their opinions, real empowerment of women is possible through their participation in family, society, country and state activities. For this reason, all the favorable environment for growth of girls and children including education, health and safety should be ensured.

All discrimination will be removed if girl child gets protection. Bangladesh has achieved success in the field of health of girls and children. Strict laws have been taken to stop child marriage. Infant and maternal mortality rates have been greatly reduced. Parents should be the most vocal to ensure the rights and safety of the girl child. Men have to play a leading role in changing the attitude of the society to uphold the rights and dignity of the girl child.

And in our country earlier, it was a matter of not being happy if a family had a daughter, it has decreased a lot compared to before. As before, there are no more outbursts that were seen earlier when a girl child was born. But now it seems that as much as parents are happy when they have a girl child, later on they become more cornered in the social context as they grow up. They are victims of social barriers, victims of torture and have to go through many adversities, so girls and children are still lagging behind. A girl child is still considered a burden in our society. And the children of our country are not safe at all. The government has taken various steps to provide security. But still the baby girls are not safe. If I say why not then I will say that we people of the society are not aware.

Our parents should give utmost importance to ensure the rights and safety of the girl child. We know that a girl child is very beneficial for our family, parents think well. But actually the family members don't try to understand the mentality and thinking of the daughter, they don't pay attention to where, why, what problems they are having. But we all know that daughters are very useful to their family, they have the ability to solve problems by being on the side of the family in times of danger. Even then, no importance is given to the proper rights and protection of the daughters of our country.

The daughters of our country are not safe in the present society. If you go on the road, there are many kinds of dangers. Even baby girls are now not safe from their close people. So family guardians should give importance to the protection of baby girls. In our country girls are neglected in everything from boys. In some families, people think that boys will see us and girls will not see us. He will be married and sent to someone else's house, what will happen to them after studying so much. It is also prohibited to go out and work. So it is seen from all sides that the girls and children of our country are neglected and abused.

> Dos for girls/girl children:

* Be aware of your own rights and make others aware;

* Indomitable will to master skills and take advantage of opportunities;

* Must be vocal and express one's opinion on issues related to one's life/interests.

> What parents/guardians should do:

* Listen, understand the needs of the girl/girl child and respond to or help any of their needs;

* Before taking any decision related to the girl/daughter child's life, her opinion should be heard, her opinion should be given importance and she should be helped to make the decision;

* The girl/girl child should always be welcomed in the decision-making space;

* The girl/girl child must be committed to equal rights in all areas, as all girls and boys have the same rights and should have the opportunity to lead a dignified life;

* Both girls and boys should be given equal opportunities in getting education.

> Government/Private Development Organizations to do:-

* Endeavor to protect the girl child from all forms of abuse or violence;

* To ensure the best possible health care or to assist in obtaining the best possible health care.

* Separate hygienic and menstrual friendly toilets for girls should be arranged in all educational institutions;

* Ensure women's representation in all sectors and invest adequately in leadership development and empowerment;

* Development plans should be developed and implemented keeping girls at the center of development programs.

Finally, I would like to say that parents have many responsibilities in the rights of female children, tolerant behavior towards them, physical and mental development. Therefore, it is important to not discriminate against the girl child, not to neglect it, but to treat them in the best way possible. Girls or women are not commodities but Islam has given highest status and honor to girls and women.

The writer is a, columnist and researcher Founder and Chairman,Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society.