All-woman selfie campaign aims at girl child adoption

To inspire adoption of the girl child, a unique initiative is underway in Haryana where women - mostly single women, widows, divorcees, lesbians, and thise in a live-in relationship are expected to post selfies with their daughters. The campaign is only open to women.

Anita from Nuh district in Haryana had divorced her husband long time ago because of the persistent demand for dowry. She then adopted a six-month-old Muslim girl and has posted a selfie with her adopted daughter at www.selfiewithdaughter.world.

Sunil Jaglan, former sarpanch of Haryana's Bibipur village, whose ‘selfie with daughter’ campaign was appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘maan ki baat’ program, is now attempting this social change aimed at adoption of the girl child.

Women from the North-east have particularly shown interest in the campaign posting over 350 selfies, nearly 50% of the total selfies uploaded since the campaign started last week.

Talking to DH, Jaglan said the aim of the campaign is to honour and offer women a special platform. “The campaign would impetus adoption of girls for lesbians, women in live-in and divorcees. They are to post a selfie with their adopted daughters that will goad others to adopt a girl child.”

The earlier selfie with daughter campaign, which today has over 1 lakh selfies in its web museum, saw 95% of such selfies from fathers.

"Inadvertently or otherwise, women were being left out even in this campaign. We have taken the initiative to a new level by focusing on single women with the aim towards adoption of girls,” he said.

Economic survey of India has recently mentioned Jaglan’s campaign as an impressive step towards women empowerment. Unmarried at 31 years, Ritu Rani of Bibipur village said its best to adopt a girl child. “Adoption of a girl child helps build the future,” she said.