Problems of Girl Child Need for Sencitization and Support

The present book Problems of the Girl Child: Need for Sensitization & Support focuses on several factors that are evident in meting out discriminatory treatment to the girl child while asserting the need to script new interventions in emancipating them. For a girl child in India, the period from infancy to adolescence is a perilous path. Demographic characteristics like sex ratio, girl child mortality, rate of child marriages, literacy levels, school enrollment and dropouts, girl child labour, etc., serve as the true indicators for the girl child's underrated status. She continues to be neglected at all the levels and the discrimination against her is rampant in all strata of the society irrespective of class, caste and economic conditions. Girl child abuse or exploitation is physical, emotional, sexual maltreatment or the neglect of children by parents, guardians or by others. Girls account for about 80 percent of the reported cases of the victims of violence and abuse. Several measures have been taken to improve the status of the girl child in India, particularly in educational, social, medical and health related fields through sustainable development. However, a great deal remains to be done. Changes in the status of girl child require changes in the social structure, social relationship, upbringing and socialization process, her empowerment in family and reorientation of parental attitude as well.