A Powerful Noise

At its core, A Powerful Noise is a documentary film looking at 3 women from different countries who overcome seemingly insurmountable gender barriers to rise up and claim a voice in their societies. By following the stories of these specific women, the filmmakers intend to lend depth and substance to the concept of "empowerment", in the process (they hope) created a cinematic, visually engaging film with the power to influence the global consciousness about providing basic human rights for marginalised women and girls around the world. Hanh learned that she had contracted HIV after her husband and daughter died from AIDS. Bouncing back from despair, she started a self-help group in Vietnam, called Immortal Flower to give people living with HIV/AIDS a place for support, counselling, and health care. Nada, a working mother of 3 children, survived the Bosnian War. Her women's association, Maja Kravica, is helping ease hostilities between Serbs and Bosniaks in a region suffering because of war crimes and destruction. Jacqueline fights forced labour practices in the slums of Bamako, Mali. Her organisation, APAF, provides girls with a basic education, teaches them vocational skills, and places them in safe jobs. The documentary takes the viewer inside the lives of these women to witness their daily challenges and victories over poverty and oppression - thereby hopefully dispatching the false assumption that poverty is too daunting for one person to make a difference.

By bringing viewers together in conversation and action through face-to-face gatherings and online platforms, the filmmakers hope that those inspired by the film will join forces in a movement grounded in the solidarity and strength of women. In addition to being screened at - and discussed in - a number of film festivals (e.g., the Global Peace Film Festival), on March 5 2009, "A Powerful Noise Live" appeared in 450 movie theatres across the US. This one-night event, held in association with International Women's Day, featured the documentary followed by a town hall discussion broadcast live via satellite feed from New York City to each theatre. "After the credits rolled, big screens from Savannah to Seattle came to life with an inspiring discussion - moderated by Today show anchor Ann Curry - on how to unleash the potential in women all over the developing world. The panelists were former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright; author and CARE maternal health advocate Christy Turlington Burns; Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, author and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof; actress and activist Natalie Portman; and CARE president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Helene Gayle - who said, "You'll be entertained but more importantly, when the lights go on, you'll be energized with a better understanding of what you can do to empower women and girls around the world." This series of events was presented by CARE, ONE, and National CineMedia (NCM)'s Fathom during the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women.

One clear message to emerge from this event was that Americans can, and must, take action - for instance, by writing to lawmakers or knocking on their legislator's door during CARE's national conference (May 5-6, in Washington, D.C., US) In this way, the filmmakers hoped that the conversation ignited by "A Powerful Noise Live" would gain momentum within community associations and university clubs, faith groups and families. To support this process, a dedicated page on the A Powerful Noise website offers specific ideas and tools for acting as an advocate and amplifying the impact of one voice. "Together, we can compel our elected officials to adopt policies that address underlying causes of poverty, such as gender inequality and poor governance. Make your own powerful noise! Visit our blog to share your thoughts and read other inspiring stories!" Visitors to this site may also learn how to sign the ONE Declaration, which is part of an anti-poverty campaign of over 2.4 million people and growing non-profit, advocacy, and humanitarian organisations. Discussion group guides for various age ranges may also be downloaded here.

Women, Gender, Rights, Economic Development.

Organisers cite the following figures to illustrate their conviction that women and girls are the most impoverished, discriminated-against group in the world:

• Of the world's 1 billion economically poorest people, 60% are women and girls.
• Women work two-thirds of the world's working hours, yet earn only 10% of the income.
• Women produce half the world's food, yet own only 1% of its land.
• Women make up two-thirds of the estimated 776 million adults worldwide who cannot read or write; and girls make up 55% of the 75 million children not attending school.
  

"In most societies, women face discrimination, exploitation and exclusion that limit their access to resources and assets. This disempowerment is a universal factor in extreme poverty. Rather than working with women as victims of poverty, more and more non-governmental organizations are working to empower marginalized women to challenge and change the contexts in which they live....There is an inequality when it comes to women, but it is women who tend to be the protector and fighter for families and communities."