The initiative GO STRAIGHT HOME addresses child marriage and its implications on girls’ rights globally. The documentary short film premiered at the Gothenburg Film Festival in 2013 and was screened on Swedish Public Television on the International Girls’ Day the same year. Up until today, the story about 14-year-old Reba in Dakha, Bangladesh, has met the audience at festivals such as Uppsala Short Film Festival in Sweden, Doxa Documentary Film Festival in Canada, as well as Brooklyn Girl Film Festival in the United States. Local community screenings have been arranged in Sweden and internationally, raising discussions on honour culture, the consequences of poverty on girls’ rights, sexual harassment, and the need to engage men and boys to advance gender equality.
As part of the outreach work of the initiative, we have met school students, politicians, diplomats, and professionals working in the field. Results from screenings with a total number of 5 000 participants show that four out of five participants have gained new, increased knowledge on child marriage and its impact on girls’ lives. An equal proportion of participants, four out of five, have demanded reinforced measures to strengthen girls’ rights globally. Today, we continue the initiative to promote discussion on the way forward to ensure the fulfilment of girls’ rights to decide over their bodies and lives.
