Introduction

India is a large country having various cultural strains, languages and dialects, religious affinities, health standards, social traditions, political divisions, etc. with 29 states and 7 union territories each having its own cultural identity. Even within existing political entities, like states, there are several socio-cultural variegations, based on centuries-old existence as hundreds of small kingdoms before the subjugation by the British and even during their sovereign rule over these kingdoms.

There are 38 languages not yet officially recognised that are demanding and waiting for inclusion in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution in which there are already 22 officially recognised regional languages. There are dozens of small regions that are claiming to be individual nationalities and demanding separate statehood for the independent growth of their cultural heritage and identity.

With such variegated and diversified socio-cultural traditions and socio-economic stratifications it is imaginable how arduous would be the task of reaching out to all the segments of people in this vast country. It would indeed be a Herculean task, involving extensive travel and exhaustive teamwork, to contact the people of influence in all these areas in the country.

The Methods of reaching out

Traditional methods of reaching out to every nook and corner of the country would involve great amount of time, effort and money. Waiting for conventional methods of distribution of information to bear fruit would take years according to the usual methodology of file movement, verifications at every stage, file forwarding and such other routine steps of information transfer that continues in our administrative machinery even after changeover to internet-based and computerised official procedures.

Several NGOs are engaged in their own initiatives against female foeticide and related social evils. But the areas of influence of these NGOs are limited and the effective implementation of their programmes has geographic and community-based limitations. The traditional methods are not only slow in spreading but are also not appealing to the young people who form the crucial segment of the society that can really make a change in the situation. Besides, the expenses involved in making an awareness campaign reach out through the print and electronic media to all areas in a vast country like India would be prohibitive.

It is in these circumstances that #Fight4theFoetus Campaign has formulated a new methodology for speedy spread of the message all over the country with the association and support of existing initiatives, especially among all the young people in the country who are hooked to the internet, social sites, films and such media tools that appeal to them. As mainstream political (in the narrower term of party politics) personalities will not be universally acceptable to people of differing political affiliations, other prominent persons and celebrities have been included.

Video messages from the prominent persons/ celebrities who can influence the people, especially the young people, from all the different regions of all the states and union territories have to be collected in their own languages. The messages will be spread everywhere, especially among the young people, through an exhaustive use of the facilities provided by the internet and social media, like Face Book, Twitter, You Tube, etc. This would be the cheapest and surest method of reaching the people.

Brand Ambassadors’ Programme as the channel

People who are prominent and notable celebrities in their sphere of activities, who are charismatic or very influential among people who follow them, who are leading lights in their respective aesthetic, political or social segments of the society and who have religious/moral authority over a large number of affiliates to that faith, movement or devotion will be contacted and requested to issue messages in support of the Campaign.

The activities of the Campaign, including the distribution of the films, conducting of film contests and such other programmes for promoting the message, will have the support of the circles of people who are rallying around or giving respect to or are emotionally subservient to the influential personalities that have already declared their support to the Campaign. The fans of film stars and sports stars, the followers of political figures, the devotees and disciples of religiously revered persons, the admirers of cultural and social personalities and the teammates of social and humanitarian activists will become voluntarily associated with the activities of the Campaign and will be, in effect, the Brand Ambassadors of the Campaign.