On this International Day of the Girl Child on 11th October, as declared by the United Nations since 2012, the Vanishing Girls Campaign would like to mark the occasion at Dilli Haat, Kidwai Nagar West, Opposite INA Market, New Delhi on the theme GIVE HER LIFE- Love, Inheritance, Freedom, Equality (#GIVEHERLIFE). 

Vendaam, in Tamil meaning No, is a young girl who grew up in a small village in Tamil Nadu as the third daughter to her parents. Despite the burden of living with a name which inherently means rejection, she worked hard to prove that her life had worth so much so that Vendaam was successfully recruited by a reputed Japanese company as a software engineer making her parents proud and standing equal to any boy. However, many girls across the country continue to face discrimination at homes and in the society due to their gender. Many girls are not able to fight discrimination and oppression like Vendaam and who are in need of encouragement and nurturing. Centuries of violence and oppression has translated the prejudice and bigotry of communities across India into a compulsive preference for boys and discriminations against the girl child. In our country, discrimination against the girl child begins from the womb itself with the elimination of the female fetus commonly known as female foeticide through sex selection techniques, which is strictly prohibited under law. This practice of female foeticide has resulted in skewed child sex ratio across India with only 918 girls for every 1000 boys. 

ADF India’s Vanishing Girls Campaign has been actively raising awareness against the practice of sex-selective abortions and advocating for the effective implementation of Pre-Conception Pre-Natal Diagnostics Technique (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994. We are committed to cultivating a future where human dignity is affirmed for all girls, especially the unborn girls. We wish to celebrate and mark the occasion of the International Day of the Girl Child in collaboration with the Music Societies of the Delhi University colleges. It would be a great opportunity for the Campaign to be associated with the University and the colleges affiliated to the University. We would also be glad to monetarily compensate the Bands from the Music Societies and provide refreshments at the venue. Music Societies are also welcome to invite their friends and well-wishers to the event.