Jodhpur: An initiative to combat the aggravating problem of sex selective abortions in India was taken by DJJS under its Gender Equality program-Santulan in the form of a yearlong nationwide mass awareness generation and sensitization campaign "Tu Hai Shakti" launched on March 27, 2016 by by Hon'ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Sh. J. P. Nadda. Under the banner of launched campaign, the organization objects to cover more than 6000 areas including villages, towns and districts in 8 states of India - Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, New Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh through 77 execution points; wherein 8 women ambassadors representing each state along with 25,000 volunteers would be trained to create change agents who would further reach out to sensitize lakhs of people across the country to sensitize them against gender injustice.
Having said the above, trainings of trainers are being organized in all the above mentioned 8 states by Delhi head office team to sensitize and empower the trainers to work progressively and spread the message to save girl child in every corner. After successful conduct in Haryana and New Delhi, the organizing team reached its next target state-Rajasthan on June 1, 2016 at Jodhpur Ashram.
Statistics of Rajasthan’s low sex ratio reveal the urgency of the situation and calls for attention. The state witnesses deeply ingrained social practices, customs and traditions that are being followed since generations and have made gender discrimination a regular practise and part of life. The state and its people need to be sensitized at grass root level by clarification on preconceived myths and mindsets, and thus is one the gender critical target states for conduct of ‘Tu Hai Shakti’.
The training was moderated by Sadhvi Deepika Bharti ji-disciple of Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji and program coordinator of Santulan, who began the program with a brief on causes and consequences of female feticide followed by a thought provoking skit on the theme ‘I am a woman, is it a crime?’ After the skit, the participants were divided into groups based on their branches and given a gender based newspaper cutting to have a group discussion. After the discussion, 1 representative from each group was called upon the stage to summarize their discussion and express their take on the group’s respective issue. A forum theatre displaying the dire need to voice against female feticide was presented by team of Santulan voulnteers in Jodhpur.
After the lunch break, Sadhvi ji educated the participants in terms of ways to organize and analyze programs under this campaign by means of presentations and videos. In the end, all the attendees pledged to stand against female feticide and work ceaselessly towards achievement of campaign’s laid objective of eradication of female feticide. The training program was closed with a group photograph.
A display of organization’s ongoing initiatives in gender perspective was arranged in the form of exhibition named ‘Santulan Haat’. A pre-event and post-event survey was also conducted with the attendees to trace the changes in their mindset after training.
