The Department of Posts issues special /commemorative stamps on Children's Day every year to underline the nation's commitment to the well-being of children.
In the past few years particular themes have been taken up to highlight issues of significance. The Government has developed an integrated core programme to raise the overall status of the girl child by ensuring her equal access to health, education and security. This was considered necessary as the girl child in India experiences discrimination, a fact that has been substantiated by several studies on the subject.
Despite the existence of various constitutional safeguards and national Policy for Children (1974 ) in support of the girl child, she is never recognised as a separate entity entitled to an equal status and special governmental attention and interventions to assure her the right to develop to her full potential.
Rights can be declared and policies can be formulated to express our collective liberal and humanistic concerns, but unless the real life of the girl child in her family and the community is touched by tangible efforts and actions, nothing can be achieved. Therefore, a climate has to be created in which she can exercise her rights freely and fearlessly. One has to work for the transformation of those social and cultural values that shackle and constrict the girl child and mould her into stereo typical roles. For this, every forum and every platform should be used to create awareness and stimulate positive action. Along with this, effective implementation of the laws for protecting her and provision of opportunities for her to benefit from them have to be ensured .
The Government is implementing the National Plan of Action for the SAARC Decade of the Girl Child (1991 - 2000 AD) to assure equality of status for the girl child, laying down specific goals to ensure her survival, protection and development of the girl child while changing social attitudes and behavioural practices towards her.
The Balika Samriddhi Yojana has been initiated by Department of Women & Child Development with the objective to empower the girl child. The design of the stamp depicts Meena, a symbolic girl child and the inscription "Empowered Girl- Empowered Society", focuses attention on this very vital theme. The First Day Cover has a painting by a child emphasizing the role of education for children.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India