She brings life on Earth by successfully fulfilling her duty as the midwife, but she is not enlightened for the honour that she deserves for the job. After delivering the baby, weighing it and bringing it to the hospital, the midwife is no longer allowed to touch the child anymore. Somehow, the baby whose first sense of touch was that of the midwives hand, will get polluted if she touches him/her later in life. And all of this is only because the caste into which she was born is called “Dalit”
Most midwives in India belong to the Dalit community. Once the child is born however, the touch of a midwife is deemed unacceptable to the mother and child. Celebrations of the birth continue without her participation. At most, she is invited but will be kept away from the festivities and fed separately in a place outside, where no one can see her.
Youth Ki Awaaz supports the Article 17 Campaign by Video Volunteers to end untouchability