Thirty years ago in rural Bihar, India, a group of midwives like Siro Devi lived under pressure to commit horrifying acts—killing newborn baby girls at the behest of families who saw daughters as burdens. These midwives, trapped in a brutal system rooted in poverty, caste, and societal expectations, regularly carried out orders to murder infants.
However, a small, silent change began when social worker Anila Kumari intervened. She confronted these midwives with a simple yet powerful question: “Would you do this to your own daughter?” This question ignited a transformation. Midwives, once instruments of death, began to rescue and protect the girls they had once been ordered to kill.
One of those saved was Monica, a baby abandoned in the 1990s. Today, she lives a life far removed from the tragic fate she narrowly escaped, having been adopted by a loving family. Recently, Monica returned to Bihar to meet Siro, the midwife who saved her life, and Anila, the social worker who guided these women toward a different path.
While female infanticide has decreased, the abandonment of baby girls remains a harsh reality in parts of India. But Monica’s story, and the ongoing efforts of people like Anila, offer a glimpse of hope—a reminder that even the darkest histories can be rewritten.