National Girl Child Day 2023: History and why this day matters

National Girl Child Day 2023: PM Modi had termed the National Girl Child Day as “an occasion to reiterate our commitment and further strengthen ongoing efforts to empower the girl child”. (Image credit: @mannkibaat/Twitter)

National Girl Child Day is marked on January 24 to celebrate the girl child. The day, an initiative of Ministry of Women and Child Development, has been celebrated in India every year since 2008.

“On National Girl Child Day, we salute the strength and accomplishments of girls in various sectors and reiterate our commitment to provide them with equal opportunities to live, aspire and inspire,” Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani tweeted.

On National Girl Child Day, we salute the strength & accomplishments of girls in various sectors and reiterate our commitment to provide them with equal opportunities to live, aspire & inspire. #NationalGirlChildDay pic.twitter.com/YGUDMU1B0i

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— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) January 24, 2023

The day is marked to provide all support and opportunities to the girls of the country. It also aims towards promoting awareness about the rights of the girl child and to increase awareness on the importance of girl’s education, and their health and nutrition.

“As we celebrate National Girl Child Day, we pledge to support and empower the daughters of our nation. We must work towards their inclusion and safety, so that they can dream big and reach their full potential,” the Congress tweeted.

As we celebrate National Girl Child Day, we pledge to support and empower the daughters of our nation. We must work towards their inclusion and safety, so that they can dream big and reach their full potential. pic.twitter.com/08N9VvjC4B— Congress (@INCIndia) January 24, 2023

On this day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with this year's Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar awardee children in New Delhi.

Last year, PM Modi had termed the National Girl Child Day as “an occasion to reiterate our commitment and further strengthen ongoing efforts to empower the girl child”.

"It is also a day to celebrate the exemplary accomplishments of the girl child in different fields," he had said in a tweet.

Among the various initiatives by the government for empowering the girl child are programmes such as “Save the Girl Child”, “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao”, “Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana”, the CBSE Udaan scheme, free or subsidised education for girl child and reservation for women in colleges and universities. The National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education is another initiative.