India plans media campaign on girl child

A cute, chubby animated character called Chamki will reach out to people across the country, spreading the message to let a girl child live in and outside the womb and get her education so that she could chase her dreams.

Chamki, a mascot conceived to create awareness on the subject of girl child, is part of a series of promotionals Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury launched on Wednesday.

Another innovative campaign of her Ministry is against domestic violence, telling people to break their silence and come out in the open to stop a man from harassing or torturing his wife, reports IANS.

Chowdhury said Chamki will also talk about female foeticide. "There is a skewed sex ratio in the country as girls are being killed even before being born. Female foeticide is found more among urban educated people as compared to rural," she said.

The Minister said the media campaign would be on national and regional television channels, on radio, in cinema halls, print advertisements and field publicity throughout the country.

In the first phase of the year-long campaign, the thrust would be on the issue of girl child and then it would shift to nutrition. In November 2008, empowerment of women would be the focus, Chowdhury said.

"We need to change the mindset and it cannot happen in a week. We plan to continue a sustained campaign by distributing leaflets, posters and showing these in railways so the masses get to see the message," she said.

Chowdhury said religious leaders like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Mata Amritanandamayi Devi will also promote the women and child related issues.