Gender-based violence survivors performs in street play to mark International Girl Child Day

A big smile lit Sonali Bade’s face when the street play ended. She felt like a ‘star’ for that moment, sharing her story of injustice with people and asking women to claim the ‘right to their body’ instead of enduring the pain.

Sonali, a survivor of Gender-based violence (GBV), was performing as a lead in the street play titled “Amcha Shariravar Amcha Adhikaar (My Body, My Right)“. 

United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), a sexual and reproductive health agency in collaboration with Girls Count (a coalition of NGOs working on the issue of Gender Biased Sex Selection) and Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal (DMVA), organised the play on Wednesday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSMT) in Mumbai to commemorate International Day of the Girl Child that falls on October 11.

United Nations General Assembly observes October 11 as International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face across the world. This year’s theme is ‘Girls’ Vision for the Future’ and the play is set on those lines with the fusion of pop music to appeal to people, added the director of the play Kailash Jadhav from Satara district. 

The first experiment of the play was launched in the presence of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem and Mr. Pio Smith, Asia Pacific Regional Director. Calling the show inspiring, Dr. Natalia Kanem said, “It was exemplary to know their stories from the performance and assuring the girl child of India are respected and protected.”

Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal founder Varsha Deshpande calls all these girls inspiring and told The Hindu, “Through the play, we are trying to nudge people’s minds, appeal to women with these issues and ensure that men recognise that women have rights over their own body. If women’s agency over their bodies is accepted, a lot of questions will be resolved be it health, crime, or relationships, with space for negotiation. So, we are celebrating this day with thought-provoking street plays.” DMVA works on women’s issues, including the prevention of sex determination.

Story of performers

Gender-based violence survivors, mostly, from Maharashtra’s Satara district, performed the play. Sonali (25) associated with DMVA, has been a survivor of forceful child marriage. She was physically abused and forced to marry a 31-year-old at the age of 14. In a few years of marriage, she escaped her in-laws’ home and landed at the DMVA. Today, she works as a staff nurse in Pune. “It was magic to share a piece of mine with people. If I had not eloped, I would have ended up having two kids today,” she said. Her parents are sugarcane cutters from the Beed district.

Another performer Mamta Pramane (30), originally from Bengal, was physically and sexually abused by her spouse. She was married at 16, mother to two children, and left him owing to unbearable torture and frequent character assassination. Now she works as an accountant with the NGO. “I had no say in marriage, but I want to make sure I have a say in my divorce,” Mamta added.

“The group plans to take the street plays in various schools and colleges across Maharashtra. Also, demonstrate the play at diverse railway stations similar to today’s event,” added Kailash Jadhav.