MANILA, Philippines - Filmed by George Clooney, columnist Nicholas Kristof travels with celebrity advocates America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Olivia Wilde to 10 countries where women and girls fight to change their oppressive living conditions.
Half the Sky is a two-episode documentary about extraordinary women and what they have to go through every day. Each year, the number of abused, battered, raped, sold, slaved and killed are growing and Half the Sky tells the story of these women, why it shouldn’t happen and what others are doing for change.
On the second episode, Diane Lane travels to Somali land where she discovered the increasing number of maternal mortality. Twelve women die in childbirth due to poor nutrition and female genital mutilation. Lane meets Edna Adan, one of the brave women who wanted change. She trains midwives and educated women about their body and the dangers of female genital mutilation.
Ferrera went to Kalighat where she met Urmi Basu who is working to break the tradition of forced prostitution. Basu has a New Light shelter program to protect and educate young girls and women who are in high risk of sexual exploitation.
In Kenya, Wilde saw how businesswomen are changing their lives and those of their community. They believe that economic empowerment is the key against poverty, violence and oppression of women. They stand to be an example for all the women around the world. Ingrid Munro founded Jamii Bora, a microfinance organization for women. “One of the best ways that we can deal with all of the abuses that are so troubling against women and girls is through economic empowerment,†says secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Half the Sky will air today and tomorrow, March 8 at 8 p.m. with marathon replay on Saturday at 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Solar News Channel.
Solar News Channel airs on Sky Ch. 16, Global Destiny Ch. 28,Cignal Ch. 10, Cablelink Ch. 12 and on free TV SBN Ch. 21.