“It’s a girl should not be a death sentence”

The latest press release from the National Campus Life Network:

CANADIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS RAISE AWARENESS ON SEX-SELECTION

TORONTO, ON (March 12 2013) – This semester, university students across Canada are raising awareness about sex-selection through the DefendGirls campaign, brought to campuses through National Campus Life Network (NCLN). Through resources, activities and events, including the screening of the award winning documentary ‘It’s a Girl’, thousands of students are being reached with the message that “’It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence”. This week, events in BC will also feature MP Mark Warawa speaking about Motion 408 following screenings of the documentary.

“The goal is to raise awareness on campus as well as to build support for the condemnation of this practice by the Canadian parliament,” states Rebecca Richmond, Executive Director of NCLN, which has coordinated the efforts of these students and produced the resources being distributed.

Although sex-selective abortion has garnered attention because of the severe sex ratio imbalances in China and India, recent evidence has shown that the practice is occurring in Canada as well. A 2012 CBC investigation found that many ultrasound clinics will disclose preborn children’s sex early on, knowing that sex-selective abortion may be procured as a result. Research has also demonstrated that there are sex ratio discrepancies in certain Canadian communities.

“This is an issue that resonates with the youth,” comments Anastasia Pearse, Western Campus Coordinator of NCLN. “Gender equality is an important value to Canadians and sex-selection is completely opposed to that value. We are pleased to see students taking up this campaign with so much enthusiasm.”

Along with 17 screenings of the ‘It’s a Girl’ documentary, thousands of DefendGirls info cards and drop cards have been distributed and thousands more will be in the weeks to come. Laptop stickers and t-shirts have been used to increase awareness on campus; the message has also reached thousands more via social media campaigns on Facebook

“Killing girls because of their gender really is the ultimate war on women,” continues Richmond. “By bringing this campaign and the documentary to campus we hope to move students to defend girls at all stages of life. ‘It’s a girl’ should not be a death sentence.”

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More information on these resources, produced by National Campus Life Network, can be found at: www.ncln.ca/resources/defendgirls

For a listing of ‘It’s a Girl’ screenings, please visit: www.ncln.ca/blog/defendgirlsoncampus

For further comment please contact:

Rebecca Richmond, Executive Director of the National Campus Life Network, [email protected], 416 388 0461.

Anastasia Pearse, Western Campus Coordinator of the National Campus Life Network,[email protected], 604 365 3484.