National Award winning film ‘SON RISE’ was screened to full house of influencers and change makers

To mark the International Day of the Girl Child, Ambassadors and High Commissioners of the World in Delhi join hands in global solidarity for a gender-equal world

 National, Friday, 11 October, 2019: To celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, in an extraordinary gathering, Ambassadors and High Commissioners along with 15 missions pledged their support in a global solidarity movement for gender equality- encouraging men to be part of the struggle for a gender-equal world.

The first-of-its-kind initiative in Delhi was supported by the:

– New Zealand High Commission

– Dean of the Diplomatic Corps

– UN Women

– Diplomatic missions of Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, European Union, France, Norway, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago and United States

– World Health Organization, International Labour Organization and Institut Français en Inde

National Award winning film SON RISE, a powerful gender rights film by National Award winning filmmaker, Vibha Bakshi, was screened to a full house auditorium at Siri Fort. The screening was co-hosted by New Zealand High Commissioner, Dean of Diplomatic Corps and UN Women at Siri Fort. The film received a standing ovation for its sensitive portrayal of extraordinary stories of ordinary heroes from Haryana.

 Eminent guests and leaders included Guest of Honour, Ms. Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women in India; Ms. Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women India, Bhutan, Maldives & Sri Lanka; Shri Shrikant Jadhav IPS Additional Director General of Police(ADGP), Haryana Police Academy (HPA); Ms. Suman Nalwa, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) training and principal of police training school.

With the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of 15 missions coming together to pledge their support, the movement gathers more momentum to surge forward and alter the narrative of gender inequality.

In February, the film was unveiled by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and supports the global UN ‘HeForShe’ movement.

Speaking to a packed house of influencers and change makers, New Zealand High Commissioner to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ambassador to Nepal H.E. Ms. Joanna Kempkers said, “A gender- equal world starts with all of us coming together to respect, accept and celebrate all genders under one roof. We are proud to showcase SON RISE, a film which actuates a positive cultural shift in society. We are thankful of Vibha Bakshi for creating SON RISE, a powerful gender rights film which makes men equal collaborators in the struggle.”

Dean of the Diplomatic Corps H.E. Mr. Hans Dannenberg Castellanos said, “The Consular Corps is proud to come together to pledge our support for the urgent and important need to change the narrative on gender inequality and to provide safer society for women and children. SON RISE is an extraordinary film since it brings out not only voices of discrimination but also of courage, of sheer strength.”

Head of UN Women India, Nishtha Satyam, Deputy Country Representative for UN Women India, Bhutan, Maldives & Sri Lanka commented, “ UN Women is very proud to partner with Vibha on the film ‘Son Rise’ and make it a part of United Nations HeForShe movement – an initiative under which people of all gender stand in solidarity with women to create a bold, visible and united force for gender equality.”

Commenting on the occasion, Vibha Bakshi, National Award Winning filmmaker and Honorary Doctorate said, “SON RISE focuses on changing the narrative – we must involve men and boys in building a gender-equal society. This global initiative emphasizes the importance of our goal towards a gender-equal world and demonstrates how we all can play our part in this global movement.”

Last year, Ms. Bakshi received an Honorary Doctorate from her alma mater Boston University for her work as a journalist and filmmaker in making stories of hope which effect change.

SON RISE, the film, is set in Haryana, a strong Patriarchal society, with a highly skewed sex ratio due to rampant illegal sex determination and female foeticide. The sex ratio imbalance has led to unprecedented levels of gender crimes, ranging from bride trafficking to gang rapes. It is in this unlikeliest place, the filmmaker finds ordinary men taking on the ‘extraordinary’ fight to change the narrative on gender inequality.