Twenty year-old Shimla Nishad of Lakhanwalla village of Dehradun district in Uttaranchal, says, “Before I became part of the campaign, I used to shy away from talking to boys and men. In our community, girls are told to stay indoors and keep away from social interaction with men. I would walk with downcast eyes and never speak to men beyond what was strictly necessary. The campaign has taught me that speaking out for oneself and one’s rights is not wrong. I have begun to take part in the campaign’s activities and I now interact with the members of my community freely. I talk about issues considered taboo. I feel a sense of liberation and that I am of use to the community. I have discovered a sense of belonging to the community.”