Laadli

1
Laadli

• Mumbais girl child initiative

2
A Silent National Emergency

• A sharp and steady decline in sex ratios in the
  0-6 age group across the country
• Sex ratio decline directly linked to availability
  of ultra sound facilities
• Unlike infanticide which was limited to a few
  pockets, sex selective abortions are wide spread
  across the country
• NRTs providing non-threatening, easy options to
  ensure that male preference continues to dominate
  Indian psyche

3
Sex selection is a key social issue

• Rooted in patriarchal value of son preference
• Indicative of a gender divide in society which is
  not in tune with the development aspirations of
  the country
• Also responsible for the demographic divide in
  the country as it encourages large families in
  anticipation of an elusive son

4
It is time to bring in a social movement

• The scale and extent of the practice of sex
  selection calls for matching interventions on a
  national scale
• Falling sex ratio should be declared a national
  emergency and adequate resources should be
  allocated for the same.
• It is also important to build a national
  consensus on the issue and mobilize all the
  stakeholders to stop the practice of sex
  selection

5
How do we bring in a movement?

• Launch a national communication campaign on the
  issue to create awareness
• Put in place institutional mechanisms to support
  civil society organizations to participate in the
  monitoring of the implementation of the PCPNDT
  Law
• Build capacities of the implementers to implement
  the law effectively.

6
Laadli

• Is Not a project
• It is not a mere campaign
• Laadli is Mumbais girl child movement
• A project or a campaign is owned implemented and
  led by
• a organization
• A movement occurs....
• When vision is shared when the issue is owned up
  by
• every member of the society and when each and
  every
• One of us is willing to be the change we desire

7
What is different about Laadli?

• Laadli is a model communication campaign
• It addresses the core social values
• that promote male preference and justify sex
• selection
• It builds public opinion and promotes community
• participation

8
Our objective

• is to change the perceptions and values to create
  a positive image of the girl child

9
How do we change such deep rooted values?

• Break the silence around t issues and impress
  upon people that times have changed
• Stop sympathizing with the perpetrators and
  justify the crime
• Provide community support to the vulnerable
  couples
• Be vigilant towards misuse of technology
• Value and celebrate her life in the family and
  community

10
We work with

• Opinion makers, role models and youth icons to
  impart visibility and build public opinion
• Youth of the city to take the issue into the
  homes and communities
• Community based organizations and NGO networks to
  create awareness, provide support services and
  bring in greater vigilance
• Media to shape public perceptions and values
• Medical professionals for effective
  implementations of the PCPNDT Act

11
Looking ahead

• Gender auditing and budgeting in all development
  activities to ensure the benefits of development
  reach women
• Gender to be mainstreamed into all activities and
  campaigns pertaining to youth
• Establishing counseling centers and help lines
  for women facing violence particularly for sex
  selection

12
Looking ahead

• Support to a focused, time bound and effective
  national communication and media campaign to
  bring in mass awareness about the issue.
• Investing to make the social environment safe and
  secure for women and enable them to pursue their
  social and economic aspirations
• Building capacities and providing institutional
  support mechanisms for the NGOs and implementers
  to carry out effective sting and decoy
  operations,