UNITED NATIONS GIRLS EDUCATION INITIATIVE

On the occasion of the fifty-third session of the Commission on the Status of Women that will be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York from 2 to 13 March 2009, UNGEI will host a screening of the award-winning film by Camfed, Where the Water Meets the Sky. The theme of this year’s session will focus on the following topic: “The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including care giving in the context of HIV/AIDS”.

Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, and written by Jordan Roberts (March of the Penguins), Where the Water Meets the Sky, tells the inspiring story of 23 women from a remote region of northern Zambia who are trained in filmmaking. In one of the poorest areas of the country, where women rarely have a chance to speak out, this courageous group produces a film about an issue that no one will discuss: the plight of young women orphaned by AIDS. Inspired by the strength of Penelop, a young woman who agrees to share her story on camera, the group becomes a force for change, showing how a single story can unite an entire community.

The film will be shown on Wednesday, 4 March, at 1:00 at UNICEF House, Danny Kaye Visitors Center, 3 UN Plaza (44th St. between 1st and 2nd Ave.), New York, NY 10017 and will be followed by a Q & A with Camfed Executive Director Ann Cotton.

Ms. Cheryl Gregory Faye, Head of UNGEI Secretariat, and Ms. Jyostna Jha, Advisor, Gender & Education and HIV/AIDS, Commonwealth Secretariat, will also be present to highlight the issues and partnerships around girls’ education and launch the new report, Where are the Gaps? HIV and Gender Pre-service Teacher Training Curriculum and Practices in East Africa, respectively.

Camfed, the Commonwealth Secretariat and UNICEF all sit on the Global Advisory Committee of UNGEI.