When the United Nations Decade for Women ended in 1985, there was unspoken relief among many people that the "women in development thing" was finally over and life could go back to as it was before all the feministic tamasha. In reality, of course, the Decade was quite successful in focusing international attention on the status and future of humanity's female half. But in legitimising society's concern for women, even the United Nations had forgotten someone — the girl who grows up to be the woman.
Grinding poverty, powerlessness and premature death mark the life of the millions of men, women, boys and girls in South Asia. However, life is invariably worst for the girl. She gets less to eat, owns little or no property, has less access to education, is sick more often — yet receives less health care — and does more chores at home. In general, she has the little or no control over the direction of her life -this in a region which has had three female prime ministers in the last fifteen years.
At their January Summit, the leaders of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) decided to observe next year, 1990, as the Year of the Girl Child. This decision was the result of a unique drive by South Asian social scientists, activists and officials –women and men — who had met since 1985 in seminars, workshops and informal brainstorming sessions to discuss the urgency of the issue. In the end, they challenged the regional political leadership to try to understand the plight of the girl child and do something about it.
Coining the term "girl child" has put the spotlight on the girl as a person, not just as a daughter, sister, wife, mother — or chattel.