4th edition of Ciné ONU Geneva - Screening of the film DIFRET (“Courage”)

Merci, Monsieur le Directeur, et merci à tous d’être ici avec nous ce soir pour la quatrième session de Ciné ONU, la première de 2015.

Je suis très heureux du succès que notre initiative conjointe a eu en 2014 et espère que nous parviendrons de nouveau cette année à générer, grâce à la projection de films de qualité, des débats sur des sujets à l’agenda de la communauté internationale.

The film “Difret” touches on an issue of particular importance: child, early and forced marriage. Child marriage is a truly global problem that cuts across countries and cultures. Every year 15 million girls – or over 40,000 every day - are married before they reach 18 years of age. In the developing world, 1 in 3 girls are married before the age of 18, and 1 in 9 before the age of 15, some as young as 5. More than 700 million women and girls alive today were married before their eighteenth birthday.

These are staggering numbers. They reflect a complex reality and are the result of a confluence of factors, including poverty and insecurity but also deep-rooted gender inequalities, norms and stereotypes. The risk is exacerbated in conflict and humanitarian crisis situations. Confronting this challenge must therefore be an integral part of broader efforts to empower women in all aspects of our societies.

Child, early and forced marriage perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Girls are taken out of school early to get married, and 70,000 die each year in labour because their bodies are not ready to give birth.

But it also is a direct violation of girls’ rights and too often it exposes them to abuse and violence in their own homes. International human rights treaties guarantee the right of all individuals to enter into marriage with the free and full consent of both parties. A solid legal framework exists, which should protect girls and ensure that they have the right to freely choose a spouse. But too often the law is not enforced. Our challenge is still to go from aspiration to a reality that will ensure that the rights of millions of girls are upheld.

The good news is that there is a growing realization at the international and national levels of what is at stake. A lot of this work takes place here in International Geneva. The Human Rights Council passed a resolution on the issue in 2013, as did the General Assembly in 2013 and 2014. A target on eliminating the practice may be included in the post-2015 development agenda later this year.

This film highlights not only the plight but also the dignity and the courage of the girls affected. As the international community, it is our obligation to match their courage with action to protect them.

Je vous remercie donc tous et toutes d’être venus assister à cette projection ce soir et j’espère que vous participerez activement au débat qui suivra. Je remercie aussi les experts de l’Institut, de l’UNICEF et du Haut-Commissariat aux Droits de l’Homme qui guideront nos discussions, ainsi que la mission permanente du Canada pour son engagement et son soutien.

Thank you and enjoy the film.