Covid-19 Pandemic and Protection of Right to Education of Girl Child in India: Some Legal Remedies

Abstract

Like other individuals, girl child is entitled to enjoy the same human rights and fundamental freedoms. Particularly for girls from low-income families and girls living in rural regions, the epidemic has posed a hurdle to their education. Lack of digital access has stopped girl child from learning at home during quarantine. Most of the girl child don't have mobile phones or any form of digital access. If there is one smartphone in family, it won't be for the girl child. Most of the time it would typically for the father or the brother. Threats to girls have increased rates of teen or early pregnancy, gender-based violence, and child marriage. The economic impact of the epidemic on families led to many girls being married off in return for money. The pandemic has threatened decades of progress on gender equality. Girl child is on the front line of the pandemic threat in third wave of covid 19. The Malala Fund estimates that 20 million children in developing countries may never return to the classroom after pandemic-related school shutdowns. International human rights treaties prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender and also require States to ensure the protection and realization of educational rights of girl child Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, Convention on the Political Rights of Women, 1953, The 1979, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and many more international human rights instruments specifically address girl child’s right to education. In India there is Indian Constitution and certain other specific legislation which specifically guarantees the right to education to girl. In spite of all these international convention, national laws and policies, during the present covid 19, status of education of girl child is deteriorating day by day. That’s why the present laws need to be revised so that it can secure the right to education of girl child more efficiently. The present paper is an attempt to analyze the educational status of girl child in India during covid 19 with an analytical perspective.