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SocietyGlobal issues

Girls for future (1)

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November 18, 2021

'Girls for Future' follows four girls as they fight for a better future. Aged between 11 and 14 years, they are all directly affected by environmental destruction - from air pollution to water shortage - and its consequences.

The protagonists are from India, Australia, Indonesia and Senegal, respectively. In Senegal, we see the global water crisis; in Indonesia, it’s plastic waste pollution; we look at the agricultural crisis in India; and in Australia, we witness the fatal destruction in the oceans and on land through climate change. All four of the girls are directly affected by the consequences of environmental destruction. In Senegal, 14-year-old Fatou has to spend hours fetching water. This leaves her with little time to study for school. Lack of access to water affects two billion people around the world. As Fatou testifies, it’s a lack that impacts every aspect of life. In Punjab, India, twelve-year-old Gagan faces the fatal effects of industrial agriculture. Burning crop residues in the fields is causing enormous air pollution, and the use of chemical fertilizers is ruining the soil. In Australia, eleven-year-old Sabyah witnesses how the largest coral reef on earth, the Great Barrier Reef, has already lost more than half of its corals forever. Sabyah sees the connection to the coal industry. Australia is the second-largest exporter of this most climate-damaging fuel. In Indonesia, we meet twelve-year-old Nina. She lives surrounded by mountains of plastic waste. Not only Nina’s country, but all of Southeast Asia has become a dumping ground for the Western industrialized countries. The global climate crisis is multi-faceted and complex. When media or government officials speak of possible solutions, these are often described as so complex that they can hardly be implemented. Yet in this documentary, we meet four young girls, each of which it finding ways to protect and restore our climate. Their resilience is a testimony of strength and patience. Their energy and enthusiasm will inspire viewers of all ages.

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