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Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Mansi Midha

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

Photography by Ruhani Kaur

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i.About the Project

The Pushpa Project is a movement to raise awareness to the issue of female infanticide and female foeticide happening in India, phenomena also collectively known as gendercide.

Over the last three decades, India has seen a continuing decline in the child sex ratio, from 945 girls for every 1000 boys in 1991 to 914 girls for every 1000 boys in 2011. To help raise awareness about this growing issue, we are releasing a four-song EP called The Pushpa Project.

The Pushpa Project EP is free but you can also choose to donate any amount before you download. 100% of all donations, whether $1 or $100 will be sent to organizations working on education and rescue efforts of unwanted baby girls.

iithe Charities

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Unique Home

Unique Home is a home in Punjab, India that looks after unwanted and abandoned newborn girls. They are supported through donations and are cared for by Bibi Prakash Kaur Ji.

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Snehalaya

Snehalaya is an organization dedicated to developing awareness and capability in those members of society who have been deprived of their rights due to inequality and exploitation. Snehalaya works to support and rehabilitate unwed mothers and victim women in order to save the girl child and her future.

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Learn More

Invisible Girl Project

Invisible Girl Project is an organization whose aim is to raise global awareness concerning the loss of female lives in India, pursue justice in India for the lives lost and to assist Indian organizations in the rescue of and care for Indian girls.

Learn More

iiiThe Music

Download the EP

ivTake Action

The Pushpa Project EP is free but you can also choose to donate any amount before you download it.
The Pushpa Project EP is free but you can also choose to donate any amount before you download it.

100% of all donations, whether $1 or $100 will be sent to organizations working on education and rescue efforts of unwanted baby girls.

vLearn About Gendercide

i. Prelude

The Pushpa Project, named after Satnam’s mother, was an idea born from a desire to raise awareness to the alarming issue of female foeticide and infanticide happening in India. From his mother to both of his grandmothers, Satnam was influenced by these strong female figures in his life.

In the last decade, Satnam became an uncle to two beautiful and intelligent nieces. Learning about the practice of female foeticide and infanticide happening in India, he couldn’t imagine a world where his nieces didn’t exist, or where they would be viewed as a burden instead of a blessing.

ii. What is Gendercide?

Female infanticide is the intentional killing of female infants, while female foeticide is the sex-selective abortion of a female fetus. The latter has become more common in India as ultrasound technology has become more accessible over the last few decades.

India Child Sex Ratio Census
  • 945 girls per 1000 boys { 1991 }
  • 927 girls per 1000 boys { 2001 }
  • 914 girls per 1000 boys { 2011 }

iii. Why is this so Common?

Availability of Ultrasound

The easy access to ultrasound technology in the 1990s made it easier for sex-selective abortions. In 1994, the Preconception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act was passed to ban the practice of prenatal sex determination. Despite the enactment of this law, the demand for sex determination remains. There is no shortage of clinics that provide sex determinations and as a result of the ineffective enforcement of the law, the gender imbalance continues to grow.

Dowry

Dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband or his family in marriage. In India, dowry was made illegal with the introduction of The Dowry Prohibition (DP) Act in 1961 and Sections 304B and 498a of the Indian Penal Code. Despite these laws being on the books, the expectation of dowry still remains in marital relations.

As a result, many families in India view marrying their daughters as a financial burden. In addition to dowry, the bride’s family is expected to pay for her wedding ceremony. This cultural practice contributes towards the son preference, reinforcing the idea that giving birth to a daughter is a curse instead of a blessing, which leads to female infanticide and foeticide.

Son Preference

As a result of cultural and religious traditions, many families have a preference for sons over daughters. A son is expected to take care of his parents once they reach old age. A daughter leaves her parental home once she is married, making it more advantageous for families to have a son. Religiously, a Hindu tradition mandates that only a son can light the funeral pyre for his deceased parents. These are a few reasons why most Indian families have a preference for sons.

iv. Consequences of Gendercide

Gender Imbalance

Census surveys over the last three decades have shown an increasing gap in the child sex ratio of boys to girls throughout India. In 2011, the ratio of boys to girls widened nationally to 914 girls to every 1000 boys, down from 927 girls to 1000 boys in 2001. Certain parts of India have an even greater gender imbalance, such as the northern states of Haryana and Punjab, which recorded 830 girls to every 1000 boys in 2011.

Human Trafficking

Due to the increasing gender imbalance, many men are unwed and unable to find a wife. In order to fix this, human trafficking has become the norm to fulfill the need for a wife. Women are being bought and sold from different parts of the country where there are more girls in order to make up for the skewed sex ratios. Females, both adult and children, can be also become victims of human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced prostitution.

Violence Against Women

India’s son preference places a lot of pressure on women to give birth to a baby boy. Pregnant women are compelled to perform illegal sex determination tests and if the sex of the child is female, they are pressured to have an abortion. Those who resist may be physically abused and forced to abort the female foetus.

The fact that there are fewer women in parts of India makes it difficult for men to marry. It is believed that these men may be psychologically vulnerable as a result, which could lead to depression and increased aggression and violence towards women in the form of physical abuse and rape.

viWatch Gendercide Videos

Sunshine - Satnam & Sonia Rao
Satyamev Jayate (Truth Alone Prevails) on Female Foeticide
It’s A Girl (Trailer)

vii Project Contributors