Sharing a girl child's tales of joy and despair in pics

Fine eye

The issue of gender disparity is being raised at many platforms and by many individuals. We too witness girls, especially children, subject to injustice and deprived of basics like food, right to play and education, but choose to ignore it.

However, as they say: ‘A picture is worth a thousand words,’ this issue of girl child rights has been given a voice through a photo exhibition, featuring about 50 photographs clicked in various parts of the country by the volunteers of CRY, common people and eminent photographers like Raghu Rai, Prashant Panjiar, Tarun Khiwal, Sudharak Olwe and Nilayan Dutta and several more.

The exhibition which opened at Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj aims to build awareness about the plight of girl child  in India, to change attitudes, and behaviour of people.

The photographs depict different elements of disparity, with girls selling balloons and other articles on roadside, working in fields, working in brothels, doing household chores, married at an early age, performing on streets, working as maids etc. Adding voice to the issue, evocative pictures contributed by the well-known photographers depict the barriers girl children face in going to schools.

The exhibition is part of a campaign ‘Click Rights for the Girl Child’ launched by CRY August last.

Around 1500 photographs came in from citizens across the country, depicting the various reasons behind girl children in their cities/villages/localities missing from their schools.

Some of these photographs along with the work of eminent artists are on display at the exhibition. The theme of the campaign is Ichha – a Desire to Learn, which represents countless girls who are being denied their rights and aspirations, particularly so their desire to learn.

Soha Moitra, Director (North), CRY, says the campaign uses photography coupled with primary and secondary research as an advocacy tool to raise public awareness and influence policy makers into making the issue a priority.

“The main reason or thought behind doing this exhibition at a mall was to attract mixed crowd and good footfall,” she says. Photographer Prashant Panjiar, whose clicks are on display, says, “Photographs present a real picture of any situation and I am very pleased that through our photographs, we can somewhat understand the reasons which keep the girl children away from school.”  The photographs will be shared with government functionaries and policy makers seeking positive action.

The exhibition is on at India Habitat Centre till October 14.