A short film based on stories of success of ordinary and celebrated women in India was released here on Monday by the European Union in collaboration with UN Women.
Ranging from tales of a mango orchard owner who helps local women set up small businesses to a visually-impaired mountaineer to a pioneering women’s rights activist, the film.
“Women who Inspire” is filled with candid interviews of those who have fought the odds and achieved their dreams.
“It is remarkable what has been achieved by inspiring women in India. This EU film pays tribute to them and applauds their efforts in promoting equality in their communities and further afield,” Joao Cravinho, Ambassador of the European Union to India and for Bhutan, said after releasing the film here.
Celebrated women like Bachendri Pal, the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Kanchan Gaba, the best girl scout of India, Anjum Chopra, a member of the national women’s cricket team have also been interviewed.
“These women who we interviewed for the film are extremely focused and determined. They fought through the patriarchal pressures and reached their goal,” says filmmaker Rohit Monga.
Mountaineer Pal says in the film, “I encourage women to fight for their rights and to have the confidence in themselves to achieve their dreams and when they do so they can help others around them to achieve their dreams.”
Both the EU and UN Women have a long-standing commitment to promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India and have launched the film to promote the success stories of the women across India.
“We are very conscious about the fact that the world will be a better place for all if we are successful in creating appropriate space for women and empowerment. It will be a better place for men as well.
“Now working together with UN women in India to celebrate International Women’s day to celebrate this theme of Inspiring Change, we thought that this would be a good occasion to develop a short film with this theme,” Cravinho said.
One of the women filmed by Moga is a tribal living Gujarat who fought the odds to become a grass root entrepreneur.
Hirbaiben Ibrahimbhai Lobi, from the Siddi community took a loan to start an organic compost farm and employed women of her community. In no time the women of Jambur village in Gujarat were on their feet, says Moga.
“I believe the determination that Sachin Tendulkar has shown is not comparable to the determination of these amazing ladies. They after being oppressed and broken got the determination and courage to stand up and survive. A women’s determination is way different than a man’s,” Monga said.