A Film showcase of women across time standing out as exemplary members of society.

For the past 2 years, Griot Studios, PAGED Initiative and Give Girls a Chance have come together to organize film screenings that focus on real women across time and of all ages, pushing boundaries and creating positive and sustainable changes in their societies – the #WatchWomenWin showcase.

This year’s showcase ended the 2-day International Women’s Day celebration which started with a march to support women in the media. Around the world, underrepresentation and misrepresentation of women are still perpetuated by the media. As subjects of stories, women only appear in a quarter of television, radio, and print news. They are still portrayed in limiting and stereotypical roles and tend to be referred to in terms of superficial attributes (age, appearance, clothing & relationship status), while men are more likely to be portrayed by efficacious attributes (skills, professions & opinions); perpetuating unequal power dynamics and perceptions of gender. Media for Women (#media4women) is a global campaign organized by Free Press Unlimited and their partners, to highlight the importance of inclusive and equal portrayal of women’s stories in the media, as well as the equal treatment and pay of women who work in media.

The film Pray The Devil Back to Hell was chosen for this year’s #WatchWomenWin. It generated discussions around the vital role of women during times of conflict and insecurity. Similarities were drawn between the Liberian women during the civil war and Nigerian women in the Boko Haram insurgency – how women affected took on double roles to protect and rebuild their communities and provide for their families.

The conversations also touched on the importance of portraying women not only as wives and mothers in society but also as equally contributing individuals in the many facets where they do. At Griot Studios, we believe that proper representation is one of the key drivers towards a gender-balanced world. We strongly remain committed to the belief that the media has the power and responsibility to the present and future generations to challenge stereotypes and other forms of discrimination. We stay dedicated to doing our part to create and propagate stories that do just that.