“Jaha’s Promise” is a model example of how to highlight unthinkable strife without exploiting the subjects.
A story that exposes the deep rooted culture of female genital mutilation in Gambia, Jaha’s Promise highlights how much of a punishment the simple fact of being a woman can be in the society. The victims aren’t statistics, they’re fully developed personalities, and it’s clear that they are far from the minority in their society.
Jaha Dukureh, our story’s hero, tells us that nearly every girl you see in Gambissara, Gambia has been held subject to female genital mutilation at unspeakably early points in their lives. When Jaha was only one week old she was put through the the most intense type of mutilation. She wasn’t aware of this mutilation until her wedding night, at 15 years old. Her quest is all the more impactful due to her personal experience. She want to end this toxic tradition for her daughter, and by that, for all future generations.
Having Jaha as the leading voice in this film is a very important part of its message. There is no deluge of outside opinions dictating the conversation. Jaha herself has experienced the culture of not just mutilation, but the barrage of deeply misogynistic practices within the society. Men typically marry multiple women, and treat them with dreadful violence when they please. Dukureh tells us that a woman married after the age of 18 is basically seen as “expired”.
When Jaha would speak to her mother as a child, and say how she would never let her future husband beat her, or marry multiple women, her mother would just laugh. These practices are normal and accepted because women are refused equal access to education, and a lot of their knowledge on issues comes from the men in their lives. Men tell women that mutilation is necessary for childbirth, and that it is sunnah (the teaching of the prophet.) Jaha and her sister were the first girls in their family to be enrolled in school, which is what began Jaha’s own path to enlightenment.
When she was only 8 years old, Jaha’s hand in marriage was promised to a man. He lived in New York and was in in his 40s. Jaha described this arrangement as rape simply because, “when you force a girl into a marriage you’ve given someone the right to rape her every single day.”At 15 after marrying him and moving to New York, she was able to finally escape the situation through a women’s rights organization. Jaha was also given the opportunity to re-enroll in high school after pleading with administrators at 10 different schools. Jaha’s education is an important part of this story. It is a crucial contributor to her drive to properly teach others about what sexism in society does to hurt women, and help to initiate a cultural change. Most women in Gambia were never afforded that opportunity, and through her work it’s obvious Jaha never took that for granted.
The film begins with Jaha stating her intentions, “I’ve come home to try and do something to end [female genital mutilation], even if that means taking on my family, my tribe, and the whole of Gambia.” What started as a promise to her daughter became a promise to all women that Jaha is determined to keep. Jaha’s Promise is much less a story about her own past than it is about her ambition to educate girls and the world about these harmful practices. Through this impactful film, Jaha has successfully made a significant step forward towards achieving her goal.
Jaha’s Promise was screened last week at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City at an event hosted by UN Women.
Official Film Website
http://www.jahaspromise.com
Safe Hands For Girls – Official Website
http://www.safehandsforgirls.org/
Safe Hands For Girls – Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/safehandsforgirls/
