By Ravi Nitesh:
It is international Girl Child Day today. The day is declared by UN general assembly to highlight the inequality and various forms of discrimination that a girl faces. Apart from other form of violence and discrimination, education also is a sector in which girl child is facing discrimination. Right to Education is here in our hand but still there is a clear discrimination. This article will highlight the approach of social advertisements that is here to promote education of girl child.
Today she again got scolded for her low grades. “Have I arranged your studies for this? I had dreamt that you will get success and will make us proud in society. If I could smell this, your marriage would have been arranged instead” shouted her father, a low income shopkeeper.
Girls in our society have an equal space and enjoy equal rights ideally, logically and rightfully. But, in spite of being a ‘civilized’ society of the 21st century, surprisingly and sadly, we, the “progressive” people still cannot ensure the same.
Apart from history and traditions, the basic question comes upon the present society. Though, introspection of the reasons and its solutions need to be looked in social traditions and customs, the main emphasis must be on providing the feasible solutions in present scenario. The most effective one is awareness and facilities. Governments of many states and the Central Government have initiated efforts for education of girl child. These efforts include scholarships, facilitation with a nominal amount on clearing exams, encouragement to get employment, counselling centres etc. In addition to this, government takes help of promotional activities through advertising the policies and to spread awareness messages.
We can see TV advertisements and hoardings in our cities that promote education of girls and here is the need to be cautious. The basic objective of any social campaign must be based on morality, truth, social justice, freedom and equality. Advertisement to promote education of girl child must ensure the hidden message of “Virtue of Education” and its relation with development of society and development of human thinking that result in betterment of living for a peaceful and happy society. Unfortunately sometimes, the policy makers approve advertisements of a kind that sends message in contradiction of the required, these advertisement encourage the greed rather than encouraging duties. Greed comes when it writes “padhegi likhegi, naam roshan karegi”. So here education has become associated with being famous and it is symbolized as a reward for parents (or for herself) by their ‘investment’ in education of their girl child. The punch line could be (should be) used in a way that only highlight the importance and benefit of being educated (not the reward in terms of being famous and popular rather it should be something that can make sense of selflessness). The punch line could be ” padhegi likhegi apna bhavishya ujjwal karegi’ or ‘padhegi likhegi apna bhavishya khud tay karegi’ or ‘laadli ko padhana likhaana, yahi hai zimmedaari nibhaana’ etc.
We may think that these are the small things that can be ignored but we should not forget that these small things are made for the people and for broadening their narrow mind towards education of a girl and thus it automatically becomes important that these advertisements must have a sense of selflessness and greed-less-ness.
Education is an important thing and in this era of development, being educated and getting education is right. It is the duty of parents to educate the child. Parents must fulfil this duty without any greed; it’s an investment towards humanity and society, not to get benefit in terms of fame and wealth. It’s towards making decisions, being knowledgeable, identifying right and wrong, living a sensible life and doing work for others. Governments must understand this very motive of education that can bring a feeling of ‘service’ rather than getting ‘paid’.