This Pune Doctor Has Delivered Over 2,400 Babies for Free - But Only if They Are Girls!

Dr Ganesh Rakh, a doctor from Pune, has made it his mission to save the girl child through his unique initiative. He runs a maternity-cum-multi-speciality hospital in Pune and waives off his fees if the baby delivered is a girl. This noble initiative called the "Beti Bachao" (Save the Girl Child) initiative, began 11 years ago and has delivered more than 2,400 girls without charging a single penny from the family.  The hospital celebrates every time a woman delivers a girl child by cutting cakes and showering petals on the parents. The doctor also arranges for a ride home for the mothers and their infant daughters in a decked-up auto-rickshaw upon their discharge from the hospital. Dr. Rakh's efforts are in line with creating awareness about gender equality and ending the practice of female foeticide. He came up with this initiative when he was disheartened by the families who shied away from accepting their girl child.  As per a government survey, there were over six crore cases of female foeticide in the last 10 years. Dr. Rakh's initiative is a significant step towards creating a more gender-equal society and stopping the practice of female foeticide. His efforts have made a remarkable drop in cases of female infanticide, and his work serves as a reminder that we all have a role to play in creating a more gender-equal society.

The Green Saree Warriors: How a Group of Women are Fighting Social Evils in Eastern Uttar Pradesh

In a world where violence against women is still a pervasive issue, a group of fearless women in green sarees has risen to the occasion to combat social evils such as domestic violence, eve-teasing, child marriage, and female foeticide in over 150 villages across six districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. This group is none other than the Green Gang, a group of women who are determined to bring about a positive change in their communities by taking strong action against the vices of their husbands and other social evils. Working in collaboration with Mission Shakti, the Green Gang has been making a visible impact, and their efforts have been nothing short of remarkable. Geeta Devi, the leader of the Green Gang, narrated her story of how she was pushed to the brink of suicide due to her husband's vices. But a member of Hope Welfare Trust approached her and listened to her patiently, which gave her the strength to stand up against her husband's vices. The Trust imparted basic literacy and martial arts lessons to the women and educated them about brave women from Indian history. The women then decided to don green sarees and carry batons to patrol the villages and target the addas, which resulted in a significant impact. The addicts started fearing the colour green and even reported cases of domestic violence to the police, resulting in some men being sent to jail. As part of Mission Shakti, the Green Gang has access to the phone number for the closest police station, which may be called immediately in an emergency. Each group also has a "Police Mitra" who communicates with the neighborhood police and gives them regular updates. The gang also decorates the home where a girl kid is born with a "Khushhali Chinha" to mark the occasion. Apart from working towards checking social evils, the Green Gang has also started focusing on environmental issues. They have planted trees to check soil erosion near a pond in Jalalpur village of Jaunpur district. The gang's efforts have been appreciated by the community, and even the men have accepted and appreciated the transformation that the gang has brought about in their lives.