The Indian Air Force is championing gender equality in this powerful new ad

"A girl who's only supposed to be a homemaker is the girl who will now defend our homes."

The Indian Air Force campaign encourages women to join.

This Indian Air Force campaign encourages women to join. Source: YouTube/Indian Air Force

The Indian Air Force has launched a new campaign championing equality and challenging gender stereotypes.

A new video, titled Ladki Hoon Main (I am a Girl), takes aim at the notion that women aren't cut out to work in the air force.

"I am a girl. Of course, I'm scared of loud noises. And I hide from the sound of firecrackers," says a voice-over on the video, which has been viewed many thousands of times on YouTube.

"How can I bear the burden of a job? I'm a girl after all. From the ashes of my ambition I will give birth to a boy. On someone else's bravado, I will bat my eyelashes."

The video shows a woman going about her job as a fighter pilot, before ending with the line: "I am just a girl. A girl who's only supposed to be a homemaker is the girl who will now defend our homes."
In June 2016, the Indian Air Force inducted its first . At that time women comprised  2.5 per cent of the armed forces in India, working mostly in non-combat roles.

Neighbouring country Pakistan has about 20 female fighter pilots. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) began inducting women into combat roles in 2006.

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Published 9 May 2017 2:55pm
Updated 9 May 2017 2:57pm
By Alyssa Braithwaite


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