‘WOMEN MUST BE PROTECTED’
Anushka Sharma insists that it’s important to protect women from the hazards of open defecation such as sexual assault and humiliation
She is known to have always spoken her mind on various issues. Now, as the new face of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Anushka Sharma (right) has a new task in hand vis-à-vis the initiative to build an open defecation free (ODF) India for which the government is running a nationwide campaign.
“As a part of the government’s Swachh Bharat initiative, Anushka will bring to focus the toilet hygiene and safety of women with Darwaza Band — a national campaign encouraging everyone to build toilets in their homes, especially keeping women’s health in mind,” says a source.
So, what made Anushka take up the cause? “I was immediately drawn by the aims and objectives of Swachh Bharat Mission and Darwaza Band. The message focuses on a very important issue of our country. I am grateful to have been chosen to shoulder this responsibility,” she says.
Anushka says she was aghast to find out that “women actually get sexually assaulted when they go to defecate in the open and suffer humiliation”. She adds, “It also poses huge health and safety risks because for the menfolk, building toilets is not important. They (women) must be protected from this hazard.”
As the female brand ambassador for the initiative, Anushka joins Amitabh Bachchan. “Her popularity and inspiring success story made her a natural choice to increase the initiative’s panIndia appeal amongst women and young girls,” adds the source. The Darwaza Band campaign focuses on involving women, especially in rural and semi-rural areas, to build toilets in their homes.
Not just women, the aim of the new campaign by the government is to also educate men about the importance of hygiene and the necessity of toilets for the safety of females. “If my involvement can increase the reach and appeal of this campaign and if women connect with it, then that would be gratifying,” says the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016) actor.
On her work front, Anushka will next be seen in Imtiaz Ali’s untitled film alongside Shah Rukh Khan. She has also signed Aanand L Rai’s new film, in which she is again paired with Shah Rukh. The actor had made her Bollywood debut with the superstar with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in 2008.
If my involvement can increase the reach and appeal of this campaign and if women connect with it, it’d be gratifying. ANUSHKA SHARMA, ACTOR