How is it that there were no female child births recorded in 2,458 villages of Haryana in a year?" "Why are girls not allowed to study?"—these were some of the sentiments shared by students of Cathedral and John Connon School in Fort, after watching Son Rise (2019), a National Award-winning film by Vibha Bakshi on the skewed gender ratio in the state of Haryana. With educational institutions adopting newer ways of teaching and learning amidst the pandemic, this prestigious South Mumbai school has found an innovative way to create gender sensitisation among its senior students.

Earlier this month, all students from Classes VIII to XII were asked to watch the documentary and share their thoughts in the form of essays, talks and questions and answer sessions. The aim was to draw their attention to social issues in the country. "The movie was an eye-opener. While I enjoy a privileged life, someone my age in Haryana still can't go to school because she is a girl. Apart from highlighting this issue, the film also showed how men have been fighting for justice for women," said Aliya Uberoi, a student of Class XII and head girl of the school.