Half the Sky movement

Half the Sky Movement is inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's best-selling book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.[1] The movement seeks to put an end to the oppression of women and girls worldwide through a transmedia project that uses video, websites, games, blogs and other educational tools both to raise awareness of women's issues and also to provide concrete steps to fight these problems and empower women.[2]

Television Series

The Half the Sky movement includes a four-hour television series for PBS that is scheduled to premiere in the United States October 1 and 2, 2012 with international broadcast to follow.[3] Half the Sky Movement follows Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl Wudunn, and A-list celebrity advocates America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, and Olivia Wilde to ten different countries: Cambodia, Kenya, India, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Liberia and the U.S. In each country, the series introduces women and girls living under very difficult circumstances and bravely fighting to challenge them.[4] The show explores the issues of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, maternal mortality, and gender-based violence and proposes how greater education and economic empowerment can help. The Half the Sky Movement PBS TV series is produced by Show of Force along with Fugitive Films.

30 Songs / 30 Days

From September 3 to October 2 of 2012, legendary and emerging female musicians from around the world come together to support Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a multi-platform media project inspired by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s best-selling book.

For 30 consecutive days, a new song from a featured female artist was available for free download for twenty-four hours on www.halftheskymovement.org. Visitors to the Half the Sky Movement site who engaged with the campaign were rewarded with a song that spoke to the themes of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.[5]

Participating artists included the McRary Sisters, Gemma Hayes, Brooke Waggoner, Ana Tijoux, Mountain Man, Kimya Dawson, Frally, Emmylou Harris, Julia Stone, A Fine Frenzy, Rokia Traore, Bonnie Raitt, Katie Herzig, Amy Grant, Fatoumata Diawara, St. Vincent, Corinne Bailey Rae, Brandi Carlile, Norah Jones, Abigail Washburn, Joan Osborne, Sheryl Crow, India.Arie, Angélique Kidjo, Alicia Keys, Karen Elson, Ingrid Michaelson, Lucinda Williams, Oumou Sangaré, Patty Griffin, and Annie Lennox.

Games

Games to accompany the movement are being created by Games for Change.[6]

Mobile Games

With support from USAID, Games for Change is testing and deploying three mobile games aimed at communities in India and East Africa. Audiences in these countries will be able to explore games such as 9 Minutes (on healthy birthing practices), Worm Attack! (de-worming awareness) and Family Values (highlighting the value of girls in families).

Facebook Game

The Facebook game was released March 4, 2013 and is aimed at increasing awareness and funds for women around the world. Players can explore stories and quests based on the real experiences of women and girls. The game was developed by Frima Studios and executive produced by Games for Change.[7]

Web

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide can be found at halftheskymovement.org and PBS.org. These sites feature content on the movement as well as a blog, social media feeds, and updates on Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's work on the issues. Visitors can read about all the issues from the television series, connect with over 30 partner NGOs, and learn how to become advocates on their own.

References

  1. ↑ Nicholas Kristof's 'Half The Sky' Trailer Highlights Plight Of Women Worldwide (VIDEO)
  2. ↑ "Movement." Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Accessed December 31, 2014.
  3. ↑ Half the Sky | Independent Lens | PBS
  4. ↑ Bark, Ed. "Using Fame to Shine a Spotlight on the Suffering." The New York Times. September 30, 2012. Accessed December 31, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/01/arts/television/half-the-sky-about-sex-trafficking-on-pbs.html?_r=0.
  5. ↑ "30 Songs/30 Days." Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. Accessed December 31, 2014. http://www.halftheskymovement.org/30-songs-30-days.
  6. ↑ Half the Sky mobile games update May 2011 | Games for Change
  7. ↑ "Half the Sky Movement: The Game." Games for Change. Accessed December 31, 2014. http://www.gamesforchange.org/play/half-the-sky-movement-the-game/.

External links