INDIA TELANGANA

Raising awareness on gender discrimination

Raising awareness on gender discrimination | India

In 2020, we received a proposal from the Amruthavani Communications Centre in Telangana, India, to produce a series of episodes on gender discrimination and sexselective abortion In this interview, Fr Udumala Balashowry M F A tells us more about how the program will raise awareness of these issues, emphasizing that all girls deserve respect and dignity as children of God

Could you tell us more about the human impact the project will have on the community?

The project aims to bring awareness to the issue of inhuman treatment of girls and stop the brutal way of killing the girl child. It will allow the girl child to have equal opportunity for life and growth and bring about a cultural change in people's mindset to realize that all children are equal. It will bridge the gap between the female and male ratio and put an end to gender elimination

How do you see the situation in your community once the project is implemented?

In addition to the impact mentioned above, change begins at home and in small ways. This project will act as a catalyst for changing people's mindsets gradually in the context of male chauvinism.

What can you tell us about the community where the project is taking place?

The community is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Southern India The project is specifically geared towards bringing awareness among women and empowering them for equal rights and dignity of life

It aims to bring awareness among the rural areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where culturally, people think males are superior to females. The Telugu Catholic Bishops' Council promotes the dignity of life and strives to end systematic gender elimination in India.

What are your main objectives in this project?

In addition to the above, our mains objectives are to reduce the gap between the female and male population and raise consciousness about sex-selective abortion and gender discrimination

Are there any specific stories that you recall from these last years?

Yes Several methods are employed to kill the newborn girls Children are fed milk mixed with the sap from poisonous plants or pesticides, fed salt to increase their blood pressure, or are stuffed in clay pots. Sometimes, they put the husk of the paddy in the baby's throat that slits the throat instantly, and the baby bleeds to death. Our hope is that, through our projects and raising awareness, we will contribute to putting an end to these terrible injustices and acts.

Why do you think PSPF should continue to support these types of projects?

In the last ten years, around 50 million female babies were killed due to systematic gender elimination and the cultural mindset Media can play a crucial role in changing the mindset of people, fostering human values, and raising the social consciousness for equal rights

Published on 26/07/21