Africa: 4-day Dakar Film Festival
The UN Population Fund is organizing a film festival in Dakar on gender-based violence. Filmmakers from around the continent of Africa have been invited to submit films and documentaries in English or French for a film festival devoted to ending endemic violence against women in Africa.
4-day Dakar Film Festival Inaugurated To Fight for the Elimination of Violence against Africa's Women.
Includes post-conflict surges in violence November 23-27 2006 The UN Population Fund is organizing a film festival in Dakar on gender-based violence. Filmmakers from around the continent of Africa have been invited to submit films and documentaries in English or French for a film festival devoted to ending endemic violence against women in Africa.
Themes include Gender-based violence (GBV) in conflict and post-conflict countries (there are more deadly conflicts raging in Africa at any one time than any other Continent), domestic violence, female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/FGM) and vulnerability due to extreme poverty, which can force women into sex work.
Monetary prizes will be awarded to the top films, which will be judged on the potential to play a positive role in eliminating violence and reducing the stigmatization of its victims. Films and documentaries selected for the festival will be shown at various sites around the city including open air locations for the public at large.
In conjunction with the Dakar film festival, a two-day journalist training session on sensitizing journalists covering gender violence in the media (22 and 23 November) will be conducted by international Gender expert Lesley Abdela (herself a professional journalist, see search engines such as Google). [email][email protected]
The festival coincides with 25 November, the 'International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,' which focuses attention on the alarming rise in gender-based violence around the globe and recognizes efforts to rid societies of this scourge. The UNFPA, the Senegalese Government, donors, NGOs, civil society and other partners are joining forces to sponsor the four-day festival beginning 23 November 2006 Further information: Angela Walker UNFPA, tel. +221-869-5856 or Alia Nankoe at UNFPA-Senegal tel. +221-508-0745 . A study released in New York recently by the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan found that "In all countries of the world, violence against women persists as a pervasive scourge, endangering women's lives and violating their rights. Such violence also impoverishes families and communities, drains government resources and restricts economic development."