A Moment Like No Other!

IN PROTEST, a documentary project by The 49%, focuses on courageous women on the frontlines of women’s rights movements around the world.

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even if her shackles are very different from my own.”

- Audre Lorde

A Battle Cry for Women’s Rights

The documentary project highlights the innovation, bravery, and extraordinary power of women’s activism movements across the world—inspiring sisterhood, unity, and change.

The non-profit women-led media organization The 49% will produce a feature length film directed by female or non-binary individuals with a deep connection to their stories. A celebrity/activist narrator or host, such as Amanda Gorman or Angelina Jolie, will connect the stories for viewers.

The Voices of Change

Our goal is to feature 5 powerful women, and focus on their stories and revolutions.
For now, here are the potential themes:

Female Genital Mutilation

Freedom From FGM

Somalia

Somalia has one of the highest rates of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the world; nearly 98% of women and girls have undergone the procedure which is a violation of their human rights. As a result, they experience severe pain, problems urinating and menstruating, and complications with childbirth.

Ifrah Ahmed

Global activist Ifrah Ahmed underwent FGM at age 8. She was violently gang raped by Somalian militants at the age of 15. She escaped war and poverty by emigrating to Ireland, learned to read and write, and built a foundation to combat FGM.

Her dream? An FGM-free Somalia.

“I don’t want people to see me as a victim.
I want people to see me empowering other women. I want to show people that whatever Somali women have been through, we can be strong and overcome it.”

- Ifrah Ahmed

Reproductive Justice

The Abortion Battle

Poland

In 2021 the Polish government instituted an abortion ban, criminalizing nearly all abortions except in extreme cases.

The majority of Poles oppose this ban and it has led to massive protests and a crackdown from the Polish government on activism.

Marta Lempart

Marta Lempart, a trained lawyer and fervent activist, founded the All-Poland Women’s strike to help women gain the health care they need.

She is currently fighting 86 court charges as she continues to promotethe pro-choice citizen’s bill calling for new legislation.

“When you are pregnant in Poland, you don’t have a voice. Our rights are taken away from us.”

- Kaja

Femicide

Fighting Femicide

Mexico

In Mexico, 10 women are killed every day. Protesters have demanded increased security and government action in the face of femicide, the murder of women because of their gender.

Women Of Mexico

A young activist from Mexico, horrified by her government's inaction, is devoted to researching and promoting public policies for women's rights and equality. Through her organization, she is working tirelessly to raise awareness and push for change.

“This is a national crisis. What else needs to happen for us to accept that violence against women in our country is an epidemic that has extended to all social strata?”

- Ana Patricia

Basic Rights

The Right to Rights

Afghanistan

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has left women as second-class citizens and deprived of education, work, freedom and dignity. Afghan girls older than twelve are barred from attending school. Many female professionals have lost their jobs. And a humanitarian crisis overwhelmingly affects women and children.

Zainab E.

Zainab Entezar is a filmmaker, mother, and wife currently hiding in Kabul. She is determined to continue sharing stories, though the Taliban are searching for her and have imprisoned many of her friends.

“Whatever goals, freedoms, wishes, dreams, choices, education and jobs women once had are gone. My body is without a soul and all our dreams are nothing now.”

- Rokhshana

The Fight Goes On

Here are some other areas and causes we will cover in our documentary film.

(Other potential topics and beyond.)

  • Iran

    The brutal death of Mahsa Amini in the hands of Iran’s morality police sparked a massive uprising of women in Iran and around the world. They are rejecting the oppressive regime and its mandatory hijab law, burning their veils and cutting their hair in a symbolic gesture of resistance. They are calling for justice for Amini and all the protesters who have been killed, injured or arrested, and for an end to the violation of their rights and dignity.

  • Belarus

    After President Aleksandr Lukashenko took his sixth term in office in 2020, thousands protested his regime and demanded democracy. Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has seen her family torn apart by this regime, with her husband’s imprisonment and her children abroad for their safety, she continues to lead protests fighting for Belarusian democracy.

  • Egypt

    The proposed Egyptian Personal Status Law denies women of several basic human rights including: a woman’s ability to sign her marriage contract, choose her spouse, travel without a male family member’s consent, obtain her children’s legal documents, or have guardianship over her children’s funds even if she is the financial supporter of the entire family.

  • Myanmar

    60% of protesters against the illegal military coup are women who fear their hard-won rights are at stake. Myanmarese women are also common targets of the military who seek to loot their homes.

A series by The 49%

The 49% is a female-led non-profit media company.
We create and share stories of real women and their struggle for human rights.
We believe that women’s storytelling is an act of courage.

In Partnership with:

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