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Oct 11, 2024

Championing Equality: Dera Sacha Sauda’s Role in Uplifting Girls

The International Day of the Girl Child is observed every year on October 11. This day aims to raise awareness about the crucial role girls play as powerful agents of change. Around the world, girls encounter unique challenges that limit their potential, from issues related to education to gender-based violence. This day serves as a rallying cry to emphasize that a brighter future depends on empowering girls and providing them with equal opportunities. This day honors their struggles and achievements, while also drawing global attention to the challenges they face and how we can work together to create positive change.

The International Day of the Girl Child was established by the United Nations in 2011. Its purpose is to raise global awareness about the challenges faced by millions of girls every day, such as limited access to education, limited economic opportunities, and lack of proper healthcare. Additionally, it aims to highlight issues like child marriage and gender disparity.

Dera Sacha Sauda contributes significantly towards promoting equality and empowering the girl child. The organization has been working diligently to eliminate the atrocities against women that hinder their progress and create significant barriers in their lives. Based in India, Dera Sacha Sauda is a socio-spiritual organization recognized for its humanitarian and welfare activities.

For decades, the organization has been dedicated to empowering girls, promoting gender equality, and fighting against the social issues that hinder women’s development and progress.

Dera Sacha Sauda places a strong emphasis on combating gender inequality and enhancing the lives of girls through education, healthcare, and social support. The organization runs various programs to empower the girl child. Some of the women empowerment welfare initiatives being carried out by Dera Sacha Sauda volunteers globally are:

Promoting Education for Girls

In a highly populated country where boys are often considered superior to girls, the education of girls is frequently deprioritized. In such a patriarchal society, Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) has been working on a large scale, conducting campaigns and organizing awareness rallies to educate the masses regarding the significance of educating and empowering girls.

For families struggling to afford their children's education, financial assistance is provided to help their girl child continue their studies. Dedicated volunteers identify talented students who are unable to pursue their education due to financial constraints; scholarships and financial aid are offered to such students to ensure a brighter future for them.

Skill Development and Vocational Training

The Youth Veerangna wing of Dera Sacha Sauda offers skill-based learning in rural India, empowering girls to become self-reliant with vocational training in tailoring, computer literacy, embroidery, and more. Free sewing machines and set-ups are provided to them at no cost, enabling them to apply their skills right after training. These centers have been a blessing in empowering women to achieve independence and economic self-reliance.

Campaigns against Female Feticide and Infanticide

The “Shah Satnam Ji Green ‘S’ Welfare Force Wing” initiated a campaign against female feticide, emphasizing the crucial role of girl child in society. Volunteers collaborate with local communities to raise awareness about this critical issue. While the volunteers engage in grassroots efforts, His Holiness, Saint Dr. Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insan, encourages millions to combat female feticide and promote gender equality through holy discourses. He urges everyone to provide equal opportunities for both genders and to avoid discrimination. Inspired by him, millions of families have taken a pledge against the heinous crime of female feticide and protect and cherish their daughters, ensuring that the womb is a sanctuary of life, not a place of death. This highly successful campaign led to a significant improvement in the gender ratio in Northern India.

Health and Wellness Program for Girl Child

Dera Sacha Sauda conducts medical camps every month, providing health check-ups, vaccinations, and maternity health services to pregnant women at no cost. A team of specialized gynecologists provides accurate information regarding pre-natal and post-natal care, covering every health-related aspect.

Nutrition Programs

DSS runs nutrition programs aimed at raising awareness about proper nutrition during pregnancy and post pregnancy. It also emphasizes the importance of nutrition during childhood and adolescence. To combat malnutrition among girls and pregnant women, the initiative provides nutritious food and supplements, especially in rural areas.

Adoption Program

Dr. MSG established “Shahi Betiyan Basera” for the girls who have been orphaned or rescued from female feticide. Through this program, these girls are adopted and provided with care, education, and a respectful upbringing. Revered Guruji adopts them as their foster father, ensuring that these girls receive all the support they need to achieve new milestones in education, sports, and other areas.

Many of them now compete in national and international sports, establishing their presence and demonstrating what daughters can achieve when given the opportunity. Guruji's efforts inspire thousands to recognize the value of daughters and their capability of achieving extraordinary accomplishments when provided the right opportunities. The organization urges everyone to refrain from female feticide and rather hand them over to the ashram for a nurturing upbringing.

Support for the rescued Women

Dera Sacha Sauda works towards the rehabilitation of women who have been rescued from prostitution or have experienced gender-based violence. By facilitating marriages and providing vocational training, they support these women in reintegrating into social fabric, ensuring a stable future for them and their children.

Guruji welcomes such women as his own daughters and has christened them as 'Shubh Devi', signifying the one who brings good fortune wherever she goes. He offered them the respectful life they could never have dreamt of. This is an extraordinary example of women's empowerment and equality.

Crown of the Lineage

Breaking the patriarchal norms, Saint MSG has introduced the groundbreaking initiative called "Crown of the Lineage". Traditionally, most families believe that only sons can carry forward the family lineage. Guruji confronts this outdated mindset, encouraging families to recognize that daughters are equally capable of preserving the family legacy. In families with a daughter as the only child, parents often worry about the continuation of their lineage and who will care for them in their old age. This innovative initiative promotes matrilineal lineage. Instead of viewing marriage as a means of sending daughters to their in-laws, families are encouraged to support their daughters in continuing their own lineage, creating a benchmark in gender equality.

Elevating Women's Dignity- A Path to Social Progress

This is just a glimpse of the larger picture! Dera Sacha Sauda tirelessly works to uplift and honor women through its transformative initiatives. Programs like Pious Womb, Respect Motherhood, Mother-Child Guardian, The New Morn, Save Womanhood, New Light of Hope, Anticipated Life, Blessings, Spiritual Character, The Bud of Knowledge, and Genuine Guidance have been elevating women’s dignity. Thanks to these efforts, women are achieving equal status and rights in society, standing shoulder to shoulder with men. Communities are embracing these impactful programs, fostering a culture of acceptance and equality. In a world marked by disparities, these initiatives pave the way for a just and inclusive society where everyone’s rights are respected. A heartfelt salute to Guruji for spearheading such massive transformations and reshaping mindsets for a brighter future!