The World Movement’s Civic Space Initiative (CSI) Faces of Civil Society video series were a huge success at recent screenings held in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, Colombia and Burma. Check out the recaps from the screenings below!

 

In March of 2016, The Youngstars Foundation brought together over 230 women in Nigeria for the screenings of the Civic Space Initiative CSI videos Girl Child, I Was Not Alone and Fatima. After watching the videos, participants discussed the women’s rights issues highlighted in the films, and shared their personal experiences with gender inequity and sexual harassment in the workplace. Youngstars Foundation hosted multiple screenings in different regions of Nigeria, but the videos received positive feedback throughout the country, and participants unanimously agreed on the importance of participating in civil society.

 

On March 8, 2016, Organizing for Zimbabwe Trust (O4Z) celebrated International Women’s Day with their screenings of CSI video series in Zimbabwe, and led discussions about women’s rights with more than 400 people throughout the country. Audience members were particularly excited to see Glanis Changachirere, a member of the World Movement for Democracy Steering Committee Member, who is from Zimbabwe, and is the star of Girl Child. Economic barriers often prevent women from accessing education in Zimbabwe, but Changachirere’s decision to find a source of income to support her education, which is chronicled in Girl Child, inspired the audience members. Commissioner Mauya of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Sally Dura of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Nyasha Sengayi of Source International, and Glanis herself, made appearances at the screenings and contributed to the discussions.

 

On March 19, 2016, over twenty people participated in a screening organized in Tacloban, Philippines by Postcards From Disasters and YGOAL Inc.. Most of the participants are local residents who have suffered from the Super Typhoon Haiyan of 2013, which devastated Tacloban. Like the audiences reported in Nigeria and Zimbabwe, viewers at the screening identified with the protagonists in Girl Child, I Was Not Alone and Fatima. One audience member described the challenges that Glanis faced while pursuing her education as relatable because children’s education is “often compromised in the times of disaster” in the Philippines. Multiple audience members also shared that they found the Civic Space Initiative videos to be an excellent resource for activism.

 

The World Movement for Democracy also collaborated with CSI partners to coordinate screenings of the CSI video series for the general public in Bogota, Colombia during CIVICUS’ International Civil Society Week (ICSW). The CSI video screenings were hosted by Tania Lopez of Colombia, and Emi Orellana of El Salvador, who are both World Youth Movement for Democracy Leadership Board members, and were enjoyed by several other Juventud Lac members, as well as various CIVICUS’ ICSW participants.

 

 

On June 23 and June 25, 2016, the World Movement for Democracy collaborated with the Free Funeral Service Society to screen the CSI film, Walking a Fine Line, in Yangon and Mandalay. The film screenings drew large crowds, and brought together prominent Burmese leaders like the Chief Minister of Mandalay Zaw Myint Mang, writer Ko Lay, the Chairman of the National League for Democracy U Tin Oo, and the prominent Student Movement leader, and former political prisoner, Min Ko Naing. Walking a Fine Line tells the story of how the award winning Burmese actor Kyaw Thu founded the Free Funeral Service Society so poor communities in Burma would be able to host funerals for their loved ones. The film will be broadcasted on the independent TV channel, Democratic Voices of Burma (DVB), starting on July 5, 2016.