Historically, the birth of a girl in India, especially in a poor family, and certainly in a village, is far from being the happiest event. In rural areas (and in some places in cities) the tradition of giving a dowry for a daughter is still preserved, so marrying a daughter is an expensive pleasure. The result is discrimination, and daughters are often seen as an unwanted burden. Even if we do not take into account the individual cases of the murder of baby girls, it is worth saying that there is almost no motivation to invest in the development of daughters, especially among poor people, and as a result, only a small part of rural Indian girls receive at least some education. Most often, a child is given a job, and then, much earlier than the age of majority, the parents, by hook or by crook, seek to marry the girl, not caring too much about the fiance’s trustworthiness.
Violence against women generated by such “traditions”, including violence in the husband’s family, is a painful and unsightly topic for the country, and is rarely discussed openly in Indian society. So, for example, the BBC documentary “”, was banned by censorship, because. raises the topic of violence against Indian women within the country itself.
But the inhabitants of the small Indian village of Piplanti seem to have found some solution to this burning issue! Their experience gives rise to hope, despite the existence of inhumane medieval “traditions”. The inhabitants of this village came up with, created and consolidated their own, new, humane tradition in relation to women.
It was started six years ago by the former head of the village, Shyam Sundar Paliwal () – in honor of his daughter, who died, I will be still small. Mr. Paliwal is no longer in leadership, but the tradition he established has been preserved and carried on by the residents.
The essence of the tradition is that when a girl is born in the village, the residents create a financial fund to help the newborn. Together they collect a fixed amount of 31.000 rupees (about $500), while parents must invest 13 of it. This money is put on a deposit, from which the girl can withdraw it (with interest) only when she reaches the age of 20. Sois decidedquestiondowry.
In return for financial assistance, the child’s parents must sign a voluntary undertaking not to marry their daughter to a husband before the age of 18, and an undertaking to give her a primary education. The parents also sign that they must plant 111 trees near the village and take care of them.
The last point is a kind of small environmental trick that allows you to correlate population growth with the state of the environment in the village and the availability of natural resources. Thus, the new tradition not only protects the life and rights of women, but also allows you to save nature!
Mr. Gehrilal Balai, a father who planted 111 seedlings last year, told the newspaper that he looks after the trees with the same joy as he cradles his tiny daughter.
Over the past 6 years, the people of Piplantry village have planted tens of thousands of trees! And, more importantly, they noticed how attitudes towards girls and women have changed.
Undoubtedly, if you see the links between social phenomena and environmental problems, you can find a solution to many problems that exist in modern society. And gradually, new, rational and ethical traditions can take root – like a tiny seedling grows into a mighty tree.
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