PRIA conducted a session on gender based discrimination with 94 adolescent girls of class 9th at Government girls’ senior secondary school, Dwarka. In the session, participants agreed that gender based discrimination persists in our society; they shared their viewpoints by giving examples. It was doubtful to assume whether they are facing it or witnessing it, but it was clearly evident that gender based discrimination was present.
In the session, the issue was not directly discussed but was confronted by providing safe space to the participants so that they can openly talk about it in the form of storytelling and story rewriting. Facilitator narrated a story of a brother and sister, who are of same age group and going to same school. The story had incidents of gender biases. It was left to the participants to analyse the story and find gender based discrimination. For some, the story was normal and for some it was reflective. After analysing the story, some participants pointed out about the incidents of discrimination in different forms like not letting the girl child play outside or making her cook food even when she was unwell. Next step was to rewrite the story. Participants who could relate to the story pointed out preferential behaviour in it. Rewriting the story can be related with the power of taking agency of one’s life. Participants changed the story; they challenged gender based discrimination and gave new direction to it. Rewriting the story clearly means that they are saying ‘No’ to gender based discrimination and new version of story also signifies equality and dignity which they want in their own lives.
At the end of the session they were debriefed about the purpose of the session. They were told that how in our daily lives we are responsible for writing our own story; we are the one who can shape our lives.
Some testimonials from the participants