A gas station is one of the last places you would expect to learn about a serious health and human rights issue affecting millions of women. But in October, Indian Oil stations in Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan, became hotspots for information about the sensitive issue of female feticide.

A cultural preference for boys and the proliferation of cheap ultrasound technology has enabled thousands of Indian women in recent years to undergo illegal sex-selective abortions, a growing trend. According to a new Indian government survey, the ratio of girls to boys in the 0-6 age range has declined since 2001. In that year, the national census reported 927 girls per 1,000 boys nationwide. The new survey shows only 918 girls, a decline that translates into millions of so-called “missing” girls.

In the state of Rajasthan, the numbers are even more skewed with 909 girls per 1,000 boys. This spurred the national oil company, Indian Oil, to partner with IFES and local nongovernmental organizations to launch an education campaign during the Hindu festival of Navratra, a celebration of female divinity.

“Our Daughters, Our Pride”

Volunteers asked motorists to sign a petition urging the government to continue to fight female feticide and neglect.

From October 15-20, motorists at ten of Jaipur’s busiest petrol stations learned about IFES’ Dignity of the Girl Child campaign and the negative consequences of female feticide on women, their community and India as a whole. Participating petrol stations displayed large banners promoting the rights of girls and warning that female feticide is a crime in India.

Young student volunteers from National Service Scheme and other participating organizations including AWAKE and SURE wore T-shirts with the message "Our Daughters, Our Pride" and urged motorists and passengers to sign oaths against female feticide as automobiles waited in the queue.

Stickers carrying the campaign theme, based on IFES’ Dignity of the Girl Child poster, were also distributed to automobile owners. IFES’ Dignity of the Girl Child program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development.

Indian Oil to Expand Campaign

Rajasthan's Minister of Health and officials from Indian Oil ended the campaign by signing IFES' Dignity of the Girl Child banner.

Organizers estimate the campaign reached passengers in 300,000 automobiles over six days. Volunteers also collected more than 48,000 signatures which will be submitted to the Governor of Rajasthan to advocate for swifter and more effective action against female feticide by the government.

Rajasthan’s Minister of Health along with senior Indian Oil officials brought the campaign to a close at one of Jaipur’s busiest stations—the Vaishali Nagar filling station. With Dignity of the Girl Child banners behind him, the minister spoke at length about the issue and government initiatives to support female children. Both the national and state governments along with civil society are taking steps to address this issue.

The minister and several Indian Oil officials ended the ceremony by writing their own sentiments on the banners including, Our Daughters are Number One and Girls Are the Future of the Country. Given the campaign’s success, Indian Oil plans to expand the campaign to other cities in Rajasthan.

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