Let Her Dream, Let Her Lead

On October 11, the world observes the International Day of the Girl Child — a day to celebrate the spirit of girls whose bright eyes hold dreams that can light up a nation. Think of Priya, a 14-year-old from a village in Rajasthan. She walks miles to school each day, hoping to become a doctor. Her story mirrors millions across India. We have over 120 million girls aged 10 to 19 — they hold the key to our country’s future. Yet poverty, custom, and lack of opportunity still dim their light.

The United Nations established this day in 2012 to highlight the challenges girls face — early marriage, lack of education, and violence. For India, home to 253 million adolescents, this observance carries special weight. Progress is visible: more girls in school, fewer child marriages, better health awareness. Yet gaps remain. The Economic Case for Investment in the Well-being of Adolescents in India, released in April 2025 by the Union Health Ministry and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), made one fact clear: every rupee spent on girls’ health and skills yields up to ₹880 in social and economic returns. The future depends on how we invest in them.

India’s commitment draws from global goals like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals — SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 4 on quality education. These are not just ideals; they demand action to end bias, ensure safety, and value women’s work. The Beijing Declaration of 1995 added strength to this call, urging access to schooling, healthcare, and dignity for every girl.

At home, India has taken steady steps. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, launched in 2015, combats female foeticide and promotes education, improving the child sex ratio by 10 per cent across 400 districts. The National Education Policy 2020 envisions inclusive classrooms and digital learning for girls. In health, the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) now reaches over 25 million youth each year with guidance on nutrition, well-being, and mental health.

These policies have changed lives. Girl literacy rose from 65.5 per cent in 2011 to 70.3 per cent (NFHS-5). More girls now attend secondary school — 78 per cent enrolment — and child marriage rates have halved to 23 per cent. Iron supplements now reach nearly 80 per cent of schoolgirls. The PMNCH report estimates that smart investments could save 1.2 million young lives by 2030. Healthy girls mean a stronger workforce and a richer India.

But the road ahead is uneven. Data from the Beijing+30 review shows weak tracking of girls’ needs, making interventions harder. One in five adolescents suffers from stress or sadness, often intensified by pressure and gender bias. Despite reforms, 14per cent of girls drop out after Class 8 — in rural Bihar and Rajasthan, up to 20per cent. Reasons include early marriage, housework, or lack of toilets in schools. Only 13per cent of village girls finish high school.

Health gaps run deep. Over half of teenage girls are anaemic; 45 per cent use unsafe menstrual methods. India has just 0.7 psychiatrists per lakh children, while up to 20 per cent of adolescents face mental health issues. Violence adds another shadow — one in three girls faces abuse before 18, and online bullying is rising. The digital divide, too, is stark: only 24 per cent of rural girls use the internet, limiting access to learning and opportunity.

Still, hope endures in small victories. Take Sunita Kumari from Bihar. At 14, orphaned and burdened with chores, she joined Project Nanhi Kali, a Mahindra Foundation initiative providing books, uniforms, and mentoring. She topped Class 10 and now trains as a nurse. “School didn’t just teach letters; it freed my spirit,” she says. Stories like hers show how opportunity can transform lives.

Partnerships amplify progress. UNICEF’s Gender Action Plan reaches millions through school support and safe-space programmes, reducing early marriages and keeping girls in classrooms. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), advances nutrition and mother-child health. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation’s Girl Capital project invests in adolescent education and livelihoods. Its Educate Girls programme in Rajasthan reached 7,300 out-of-school girls in 166 villages, enrolling and retaining more than expected. One girl from Bhilwara, once withdrawn for marriage, now leads her class and dreams of teaching. Such efforts, blending policy, philanthropy, and local participation, prove how partnerships can power change.

Yet policies alone cannot close the gap — sharper action must follow. The PMNCH report calls for ₹4,000 crore annually for adolescent programmes focusing on nutrition, mental health, and hygiene — yielding 15-fold returns. Strengthen Beti Bachao Beti Padhao through better ground-level checks. Ensure all schools have toilets, computers, and safe transport. Expand RKSK to 10,000 clinics, with menstrual health and mental wellness embedded in curricula.

Fresh thinking can deepen impact — mentorship apps linking city professionals to village girls, skill-building in coding and finance, and community drives like UNICEF’s safe spaces, which have cut dropout rates by 25 per cent in pilot areas. The Gates–CII collaboration also shows how technology and local outreach can strengthen public health for young mothers.

But change must begin at home. Families should celebrate daughters’ achievements as they do sons’. Schools must be places of safety and trust. Villages must reject early marriage and allow girls to dream. Citizens can play a role too — sponsoring education through NGOs like Educate Girls, joining UNICEF initiatives, or simply talking about equality at home. The World Bank estimates that closing gender gaps could add ₹80 lakh crore to India’s GDP by 2035. Equality is not just moral — it’s economic sense.

Imagine an India where Priya heals in her clinic, Sunita teaches in her village, and that Bhilwara girl inspires a new generation. Empowered girls become leaders, innovators, and change-makers, driving India toward inclusive growth.

This day is more than a date — it is a promise to our daughters. We have written the preface with policies and pledges; now, we must fill the pages with action. Let no shadow dim their light. Every girl must fly — free, fearless, and bold. The horizon is hers.

Views expressed are personal. The writer is a public health and nutrition researcher. He was a former Director of Nutrition at Tata Trusts