It’s 2017. A time when technology and human knowledge are leaps ahead of what it was decades ago. But even as we step into our 70th year of independence, female infanticide and gender inequality continue to be major social issues.

Our culture is in all praise for women. We address our nation as mother India, most of the rivers are named after women and we pray to Goddess Saraswathi for knowledge, Goddess Lakshmi for wealth. But when it comes to having a girl child, things become different or rather our perception becomes different

Gender determination of foetus is illegal, several laws and acts have been laid and incentive schemes have been introduced to prevent female foeticide and infanticide.

And for sure these have helped when you look at the statistics. But is it an achievement to feel proud of?

Are incentives and laws necessary to promote the life of a girl child? Isn’t it her basic right to have equality and acceptance in the community? Why is a girl always compared to her male counterparts? Aren’t they great on their own? Why do we expect a girl to-do manly things to prove herself?

Most people when asked about women empowerment praise a mother or wife and speak of their contributions to the family. Doesn’t a girl have a life to be proud of beyond family and motherhood?

A father-daughter relationship is the most beautiful thing that you can find on earth. Though the girls who enjoy this fortune are a minority, the number is steadily growing and education has brought a major uplift.

With the rising number of women personalities making our nation proud, we are surely on the right path. But rather than the laws and incentives, it’s the change in our mentality that’s going to accelerate the change.

We blame the fathers being too protective of their girls, but can we really blame them. Social safety for girls is improving but not at a desirable pace. Everyday news of girl child abuse pops up. And it’s a shame to see a section of people involved in these are from the so-called forward thinking literates population.

Child marriage, Dowry system are all major hurdles to women empowerment. Though education will not make them immune to these, Education will give them the power to fight back.

Educate the girls, they can look after their future. Just provide them the tools, they will design their own success stories. If you can’t support them, at least don’t be the hurdles in their path.

For all my fellow men, we can all do our part. Gender sensitization can be something to start with.