Koyal, 14, and Dipali, 13, perform a sentimental dance and
acting number. The audience, which includes boys, girls, men and women of all ages, is transfixed.
“Street plays are a brilliant way of getting people
to learn important things,” says Koyal.
The song in our dance number is about not killing girls but instead giving us a chance to go to school and have a good life. In India, girls can be killed before they are born by parents having abortions if they find out they’re carrying a girl. Sometimes girls are even killed after the birth when they discover the baby is a girl,” says Dipali sadly.
Koyal nods and tries to explain:
“A girl’s family pays a dowry to the husband’s family when she marries. They pay for the entire wedding party, give money, household items, goats, cars and other gifts to the husband’s family. The dowry is too much for many poor families, and that’s why they decide to get rid of daughters. A son doesn’t cost money. Instead, a new girl with a dowry joins the family when the son gets married. The family earns money from a son and loses money from the daughter, says Koyal
No to dowries! “Dowries are really bad. They create major problems for girls. They’re illegal, but it happens anyway,” says Koyal. Koyal wants to be a doctor and Dipali a policewoman.
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