The Sambhali Trust organised a photo exhibition titled ‘Desert Daughters of India 2.0’ at the United Nations in Geneva on Wednesday, bringing attention to the experiences of displaced and vulnerable communities living in Rajasthan’s desert regions.
The exhibition presented photographs, personal accounts and information panels documenting the journeys of families who migrated to India from Pakistan and have since been rebuilding their lives in Rajasthan. A significant number of the families featured in the exhibition are Hindu families who left Pakistan and settled in India.
Rather than focusing only on their experiences of displacement, the exhibition highlighted the different stages of rebuilding their lives, including access to education, livelihood opportunities, community support and efforts towards social and economic integration. The stories also focused on the opportunities available to children and younger members of these communities as families establish themselves in their new surroundings.
Education emerged as an important part of the narratives presented at the exhibition. The accounts showed how access to schooling and other opportunities can contribute to the long-term integration of families and help younger generations build more secure futures.
The exhibition also included information about India's legal framework concerning citizenship applications by eligible members of certain religious communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024, provide a statutory route for eligible applicants to seek Indian citizenship through registration or naturalisation.
The government has also established an electronic mechanism for submitting citizenship applications under the relevant provisions, with applications being processed through designated authorities.
Against this backdrop, ‘Desert Daughters of India 2.0’ sought to present the experiences of these communities in a broader context. The exhibition placed emphasis on resilience, new beginnings and the efforts of families to build lives through education, employment and community participation.
The event also brought these experiences before an international audience, offering visitors in Geneva an opportunity to learn about the challenges faced by communities that have rebuilt their lives in Rajasthan after migration.
The Sambhali Trust has previously taken its grassroots work to international platforms. The organisation holds Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was granted in 2015. Its work has included raising issues concerning vulnerable women and communities through international forums.
The latest exhibition continues this engagement by documenting the experiences of communities living in Rajasthan and highlighting their aspirations for greater access to education, livelihoods, dignity and social inclusion.
