NOW ON PBS: CHILD BRIDES: STOLEN LIVES (TV)
Summary
One in this news magazine series, originally called "Now With Bill Moyers," hosted by David Brancaccio. This special episode, guest hosted by Maria Hinojosa, looks at women forced to become child brides and how it steals their futures. After introducing this week's topic, Hinojosa's "journey" starts in the villages around Jodhpur, India, where the patriarchal society still has a tradition of child brides. Mamta, a twelve-year-old, talks about her chores and her wedding night five years earlier. Mamta's mother discusses their poor life, the meager dowry they gave to Mamta's husband, and how Mamta will be sent to live with her husband upon reaching puberty. Mamta talks about not wanting to see her husband and her confusion about her future. Hinojosa wonders how Mamta was able to marry at age seven, since it is illegal. She finds that secret weddings are held in the middle of the night. Hinojosa and her crew attend one such ceremony, filming it with hidden cameras. Next, Hinojosa speaks with Chukha, another child bride who was beaten by her husband and in-laws when they found her "lacking." After becoming pregnant, the beatings eventually led to her miscarrying. Chukha's mother discusses her daughter getting beaten and what it did to her as a mother. Hinojosa explains that Chukha now lives at home, afraid to return to her husband's family. Hinojosa goes searching for Chukha's husband, Laduram, in a village an hour away. Hinojosa speaks with Chukha's mother-in-law, asking why they rejected her. Then, Hinojosa gets Laduram's side of the story. Next, Hinojosa looks at Shakuntala Verma, a government social worker whose job includes trying to prevent child marriages. Her position led to her being attacked by machete-wielding thugs that left her for dead. Following surgery, however, she returned to her job. Next, Hinojosa visits Niger, where high rates of child marriage occur. Hinojosa heads to the village of Maradi, where she meets numerous women married off at an early age. In a nearby village, Hinojosa learns that the woman have no say in when they may get married. Hinojosa speaks with Abdou Bala Marafa, the emir of Gobir, asking why there are so many child brides in his country. He claims that most people in his country will not tolerate anything but virgin brides, though he is working to bring about change. Hinojosa discusses how Niger has the world's highest fertility rate. Hinojosa further asks Marafa why he cares so much about females. He talks about child brides now being forced to have intercourse at younger ages. Dr. Abdoulaye Idrissa, chief of fistula surgery at Niamey National Hospital, discusses the danger of young women attempting to give birth and how fistula -- a medical problem often brought on by childbirth, leading to incontinence -- causes social isolation amongst those that get it. Hinojosa looks at how Marafa, with the help of UNICEF, is employing "good conduct brigades" on motorcycle in order to try and prevent child marriages. Yahaya Bawa, president of Brigade de Bonne Conduite (BBC), discusses how his organization works to save girls' lives. He believes education is the best way to prevent young women from marrying. However, Hinojosa explains that the lack of schooling leaves most Niger women illiterate. Next, Hinojosa revisits Mamta and her family, who are now sending her off to school in Jodhpur. Hinojosa follows Mamta to her new boarding school, where she receives an older mentor, Sunita, to help her adjust. Sunita, meanwhile, at the age of eighteen, is training to join the military, then hopes to enter politics. She reveals that she has no desire to get married, as opposed to her sister. Sunita tells Hinojosa that education could help put an end to child brides. Next, Hinojosa visits Santiago Atitlan, a traditional Mayan community in Guatemala. There, Hinojosa learns about the isolation of Mayan girls in the community. Hinojosa speaks with Dr. Marta Julia Ruiz, who discusses the lack of options for poor, young Mayan women, giving them no choice but to become child brides. Hinojosa talks to Brenda Fausto, a thirteen-year-old, who married and got pregnant by twenty-four-year-old Daniel Fausto. Hinojosa looks at Ruiz's mentorship program, which aims to help young girls make informed decisions about their lives. Hinojosa discusses the possibility that Brenda could die in childbirth. Back in Niger, Idrissa tries to educate his patients about early marriage while also performing corrective surgery for those with fistula. Habi, a fistula-affected young woman who married at age thirteen, has surgery to repair the condition. Meanwhile, Mamta's mother continues trying to adjust to her daughter being away. One day, they have a teary phone conversation. Back in Niger, one week after her surgery, Habi is recovering quite well. She claims that she would never allow a daughter to become a child bride. In Guatemala, women are now exploring alternatives to child marriage. After her first week, Mamta has begun to settle in at the Veerni School, explaining that she used to be scared but now she likes getting an education. Hinojosa discusses that now Mamta will have the power to make future decisions about her life and marriage.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 12, 2007 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:46
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:92009
- GENRE: News
- SUBJECT HEADING: News; Education/Information; Children - Social conditions
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 2002-2010
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Siceloff … Executive Producer
- Ria Gazdar … Coordinating Producer
- Lesley Norman … Senior Producer
- Ty West … Senior Producer
- Martha Spanninger … Senior Supervising Producer
- Amy Bucher … Producer, Director, Writer
- Sirin Aysan … Co-Producer
- Erin Kempster … Associate Producer
- Mary Olive Smith … Field Producer
- Alana Campbell … Field Producer
- Mridu Chandra … Field Co-Producer
- David Brancaccio … Writer
- Guillotine … Music by
- Douglas Cuomo … Music by
- David Biglin … Music by
- Chris Houston … Music by
- Guy Parker … Music by
- David Brancaccio … Host
- Maria Hinojosa … Host
- Yahaya Bawa
- Brenda Fausto
- Daniel Fausto
- Abdoulaye Idrissa
- Abdou Bala Marafa
- Marta Julia Ruiz
- Shakuntala Verma