Protect girls from violence in school

Saanvi, 32, is a farm worker from Bhisni village in the Yawatmal district. She is a mother of two sons.

In India, longstanding cultural attitudes mean that having two boys is celebrated and revered, whereas having girls is often perceived as being a burden on the family. This view perpetuates child marriage, as girls are married at a young age to relieve the financial pressure on families, whereas boys are invested in, especially to pursue education.

While Saanvi was very proud to have sons, she didn’t consider the influence men can have in the fight for women’s equality until she connected with our project.

Our project works alongside men and boys to raise awareness of the issues girls and women face and to encourage them to become change-makers of their generation. It particularly focuses on young boys in school and their parents. They address issues such as ‘Eve teasing’, which is a form of sexual harassment that is normalised amongst boys and men, especially in school. Girls often drop out of education because of it. ‘Eve teasing’ is one of the issues discussed in the boy’s support groups, highlighting the negative impact it has on girls and ways to recognise when it is happening among their peers.

Now, after attending one of these workshops, Saanvi says, ‘It is my duty to teach my sons to respect women’. She mentions that, after the awareness meetings, her sons are keen to help her with domestic chores and are enthusiastic about gender equality, both in the house and in the community.

Thanks to your support, boys and men are becoming advocates for gender equality and attitudes towards women and girls are changing, as we work together towards equity for all.

Links:

• Link to our website to find out more and see our projects!