In the lead up to The International Day of the Girl Child, the United Nations Association of New York (UNA-NY), in partnership with Freedom United, hosted the screening of a film focused on forced child marriage. The event shed light on the complexities of this global issue and highlighted the gender-based violence often linked to this form of modern slavery. Beyond raising awareness, the screening also succeeded in sparking thoughtful and engaging discussions between audience members and panelists.

It isn’t just happening to “other people”

It’s an undeniable and shocking reality that one in three women worldwide will experience gender-based violence. The documentary episode UNMUTED: CHILD BRIDES, screened at this event, is part of a three-part series by Without Exception Films that explores this issue. This particular film follows the stories of girls affected by child marriage in both India and the United States.

The film’s director Dena Hysell-Cornejo said:

“One of the things that I was very clear on was that I wanted to not only talk about what was happening around the world, but what was happening in the United States also. Because I think it is very easy for people to say, oh, ‘that’s horrible that that’s happening to other people’. That was one of the things that we needed to bring in and make people understand that this is going on everywhere.”

Accordingly, the film details the journey of two child marriage survivors. Viewers got to walk alongside them as they reclaimed their agency and rebuilt their lives against seemingly insurmountable odds. In addition, the film underlined another vital aspect of the conversation. The grassroots advocates and organizations working to end the practice globally, from the US to South Asia and East Africa. The event showcased the global movement’s commitment to ending child marriage through education, legal reform, and advocacy, leaving viewers empowered.

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