NEW DELHI, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- India is celebrating the "Girl Child Day" on Monday with an objective to provide support and opportunities to girls.
The day assumes significance in India amid a low sex ratio as many families across the country prefer to have a boy child. It is believed that a son is the real successor of a family's name.
The National Girl Child Day aims to increase awareness of the importance of girl education, health and nutrition and to promote girls' position in the society to make their lives better in the society.
"Gender discrimination is a major problem that girls or women face throughout their life. National Girl Child Day was first initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development," said an official statement issued by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
According to it, the objective of "National Girl Child Day" is to create awareness about the rights a girl owns and to give girls the opportunities like everyone else.
Another objective of celebrating this day is to promote awareness about the inequalities that a girl child faces and educate people about girls' education.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the "National Girl Child Day" is 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, added the prime minister. ■