Selfie with Daughter comes to Canada

In 2023 Canada is privileged to be attending the G20 summit where we will commit to advancing gender equality and to empower women and girls. That makes 2023 the perfect year to launch the Selfie with Daughter campaign in Canada. 

Please sign up on this page to join our conversation at the official launch event from 8 pm – 9 pm CST on February 18th.

We will be hearing from Sunil Jaglan himself, and then a keynote on the impact of inequality on mental health and wellness, from Sonia Funk. and our diverse and insightful panelists will be moderated by Leela Sharon Aheer.

About Selfie with Daughter:

Selfie with Daughter was launched by Mr. Sunil Jaglan, a sarpanch (village elected official) at Bibipur, a village in Jind Haryana in 2015. Mr Sunil was moved to action when he read about all the missing and murdered girls in India and the female foeticide that was still practiced. Selfie with Daughter is now a movement that mobilizes social media to spread the beauty of our girls, with a proud parent beside them, to globally empower the girl child and elevate their future as women.

The Selfie with Daughter campaign is often endorsed by PM of India, Narendra Modi, on his Mann ki Baat, (his radio show, “Speak from the Heart”), and an app was also launched by Indian president Pranab Mukherjee to increase awareness around female foeticide in India. International celebrities such as Madonna, Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Bollywood Actor Ajay Devgan, Badminton Champion Sania Nehwal, have also joined in support.

A call to reform the institutions and cultural practices that perpetuate gender biases against girls surfaced in 2021, exposing the stark reality of the issue.

“There are several contributing factors, including sex-selective abortion and neglect of and discrimination towards girl children… And biases against female children continue well after birth, including in rates of immunization, medical care-seeking, allocation of household food, school attendance, and the share of household spending they receive”

https://www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/missing-girls-india-national-shame

Among the many recommendations in this article for healing this deep cultural wound, “reinforcement through media” was one that Sunil Jaglan could do something about. So he did.

Please support Edmonton based Anu Srivastav, CEO, V4U Radio, in his new partnership with Mr. Sunil Jaglan to now bring Selfie with Daughter to Canada. It is the responsibility of all levels of the Canadian government to empower women to be equal decision makers, and this commitment starts even before they can speak for themselves.

Ghanaian intellectual James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey once said:

“You educate a man, you educate an individual.

You educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

Women are agents of change in economic, social, and political processes and it is critical that their diverse voices are at the table. Canada must continue to advocate for gender equality and empowering women both inside and outside of her borders. This has to be a policy priority.

Canada’s current progress on gender issues has come from standing on the shoulders of those who fought for equality before it was a hashtag. Now it’s time for that hashtag to transform from spoken word into meaningful actions. The reality is that when girls are given full and equal opportunity to grow their potential, they bring with them the restoration of a balance that heals the world.

The economy and future wellbeing of Canada depends on full and equal opportunity for women and girls.

Selfie with Daughter brings her voice to Canada on Feb 18th.

Launch Details:

February 18th at 8pm CST

Emcee: TBA

Moderator: Leela Sharon Aheer

Panelists: TBA

Keynote: Sonia Funk