film

Walking With Life: Human Rights, Islam and Socal Change in Senegal

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Producer(s)	Kenny Mann
Director(s)	Kenny Mann
Release Date	2009
Work In Progress	No
Runtime	34 min
Format(s)	none
Language(s)	English
Youth Media	No

Film Description

In Senegal, an African organization known as Tostan brings human rights awareness to people in rural and urban areas with powerful results. Using African methods of dance, debate, discussion and theater, Tostan participants apply their new knowledge of human rights to re-examine their daily lives and some of their ancient traditions, such as female genital cutting (FGC) and forced early marriage, bringing about profound positive changes in their own lives. Walking With Life documents this process, bringing to the screen the images, words and voices of many of the African participants in the program. Ouriye Sal, for example, is a former cutter who abandoned her work when she realized that the practice violates the human right to a life free of violence and discrimination. Demba Diwarra is the Imam who confirmed that the practice is not an Islamic law, and who persuaded husbands, brothers and sons to support the women in their decision. Other voices speak of the similarities between Islam and human rights and the successful partnership that empowers largely illiterate people to mobilize themselves without outside interference to improve issues of their choice, such as health and hygiene, girls’ education, microfinancing projects or registration campaigns as citizens of Senegal.

Walking With Life is packed with live music recorded in situ, ranging from the fabulous drumming at a traditional wrestling match to the lively songs and dances performed at public declarations. Subtitles translate the words of people speaking in French, Wolof, Mandinke and Pular, but the narration, provided by Senegalese Issa Saka, is in English.

The title Walking With Life is taken from a Senegalese proverb: You must walk with life or you get left behind. The film illustrates a model for human rights education that is extremely successful in many African countries, such as Senegal, Guineaa-Bissau, Mali, Sudana and Somalia, mostly because positive social change is engendered from within the societies themselves and not imposed externally. The film is an excellent medium for classroom discussion from high school through college levels in any course dealing with human rights, African studies, women’s issues, etc. It will also serve as a valuable tool for other human rights education organizations.

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Last Updated On:	April 06, 2009

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Related Issues	Economic Justice, Economic Development, Family & Society, Gender/Women, Reproductive Rights, Violence against women, Health/Health Advocacy, Women's Health, Human Rights, International, Africa, Youth, Educational reform