“ I live in Barmer in Rajasthan and I have just completed my class 12. I have been associated with the campaign for the last three years. After my foray into it I have begun to see the small and big injustices against women. I have begun to realise how women are kept within strict boundaries and are always forbidden to do many things. I now consciously speak up for my rights, don’t hesitate to voice my opinion, venture out alone and I have worked hard to build up my self esteem.

I wish to narrate here how I have managed to change attitudes in my school amongst my teachers. I will begin with how my friend Deepali and I keenly began participating in the street theatre excercise that was organised by the campaign as part of the 16-day gender activism week in November. For this we needed to travel and sought permission from our class teacher. She refused saying she did not have the power to grant us leave and asked that we speak to the principal. We then approached the principal who heard us out and said we were free to go for those days and that are attendance would be marked.

We set out for Jodhpur happily. But when we reached, we got reports that our teachers were harassing our parents and were calling them to school every week. They were lectured about our absence, ‘bad behaviour’ and told that they should put an end to our travels. The teachers were of the belief that girls should not be allowed to travel alone as it could lead to immoral behaviour. My friend’s father was very perturbed and called us. But it so happened that my mother was there with us as well. She reassured him that all was well and that his daughter was her responsibility.

We performed our plays successfully and then also came back and staged a performance at school. Despite the motivating messages, our teachers remained upset. They refused to mark our attendance for the two months we were away. They told us to go to the streets instead of attending school. We were devastated. Yet we did not lose hope. We kept at our efforts to persuade them to see our point of view. We never missed an opportunity to discuss the campaign. We kept up our performances at school. Gradually, to our delight we found that support to us was beginning to grow. The teachers and students warmed up to us and the campaign. When there was need for any cultural programme we were invited to perform. Now are teachers are on our side and they readily agree to us performing and recommend our names to others as well. It is a huge change and we are proud to have triggered it.

Now girls at school approach us with their problems. People in our locality no longer forbid other girls from stepping out of homes and send them to attend functions outside the area.”