Daughters’ names on house plaques in Haryana – A Welcome Move
India has an abysmal sex ratio. In fact, it has one of the worst in the world. This has spurned the northern Indian state of Haryana to come up with a range of countermeasures. In addition, Haryana is trying to quash the patriarchal norms that exist, as are other Indian states. The aim is to improve gender equality across the country. Haryana has witnessed around 16,000 families adopt the laado swabhiman initiative, i.e., installing nameplates outside their homes in the name of their daughters. Therefore, sending out an important message of equality. A message that many see as an important step in changing the mindset towards women and daughters, thus breaking the unethical shackles made for the female gender.
The laado swabhiman initiative was started by Sunil Jaglan, the former Sarpanch of Bibipur, a village in Jind. Sunil Jaglan started the ‘selfie with daughter’ initiative as well, an initiative that earned recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Now, the laado swabhiman initiative is spreading to thousands of houses in the villages nearby, such as Kirori, Nuh, and Alipur. More are in line too. For the daughters, having their name on the nameplate gives them a sense of respect, recognition, and acceptance. The empowerment of womenkind takes another step forward. Across India, the betterment of the feminine population is being pursued with vigour by activists. If initiatives like those seen in Haryana are followed, in time, the perceptions around male patriarchy will soften. That is the hope of many young women Indians today.
