Social Justice Festival at LA Matheson

{GirlKIND + Surrey MLA Sue Hammell }

Last week, we had  the opportunity to particpate in LA Matheson's first ever high school "Social Justice Festival." The idea and project was spear headed by their Social Justice teacher Annie Ohana who is deeply engaging and passionate about all things social justice. Booths were set up by students, each represented a social issue including: child poverty, animal abuse, disadvantaged moms and many others. 

In the gymnamisum, students took to the floor one by one as each of them presented what steps they had taken to create change and do something positive.  It was a pleasure to partake and help us spread our message and inform our community about gendercide and what can be done to combat it.

Read more ...

No Celebrations

Our environments shape our thoughts and actions. How we value a girl is within our thoughts. GirlKIND believes in creating healthy, strong environments where girls are valued equally as boys. We are working towards changing cultural values...one girl at a time.

There may not have been any celebrations when I was born however I don't feel bad about it now as I did when I was a little girl nor do I blame my parents or am I mad with them. I understand that we all are products of our environments, my parents were products of their environments and traditions spoke that girls essentially don't bring happiness because they "weigh," you down.

If you were to ask my parents now, their viewpoints would be much different. I consider myself one of the fortunate ones, my parents beliefs didn't believe in getting rid of me because I was the third daughter rather they felt they would deal with the cards they were given whether I was a girl or boy, no celebrations or congratulations were had because I was a girl but they didn't give up on me because I was a girl rather they raised me and  provided me a wonderful life and for that I am grateful. Now I can use my voice for those who weren't given one and create & shape better, stronger and healthy environments so every girl is celebrated.

Gendercide: Inequality Towards Girls

Guest Blog Post provided by Navneet Gill

Nanveet is a high school student at Abbotsford Traditional Secondary School.  She attended GirlKIND's first event and screening last September. She the left event feeling motivated and inspired. So much so, that she did an interactive presentation on the film and issue of gendercide to her classmates. Hoping to raise awareness and motivate others to react. She is only 14 and has become an active member of GirlKIND, very proud of all her hard work, go Navneet!

============================================================================================================

“Hey mister that’s my sister shoveled in a grave, and nobody even kissed her. Hey mister that’s my sister.”

Gendercide also known as female feticide has been occurring in Asia for many years, and now spreading worldwide. Why do people look down on us girls? Why do they find us to be burdens? Have they forgotten that it was a woman who brought them into this world? I think together we need to raise awareness of Gendercide, and put an end to the cause. I, being a girl, feel the need to bring up this problem.

Every year in China and India especially, millions of girls are killed simply because they are considered a burden. Some mothers don’t even feel remorse for killing them, an example in the film {It's A Girl} a mother in southeast India, had eight kids all of which were daughters and she killed each one with not even an ounce of regret in her body. Girls are suffocated with rice shoved down their throats, or a cloth on their mouth so they can’t breathe. 

Read more ...