“Who is to protect the girl child?” We ask, in utter despair. If the very organizations set to help, are the first to infringe upon her rights? Who then is to protect her?
For many years, Africa has been at the heart of multiple international bodies and Non-Governmental-Organizations. That lend her a helping hand, as she carefully tries to overcome significant hardships such as; disease and poverty.Picture for illustration, credit:pixabay.
Today, propounded by her people. Africa has come a long way since the initiation of International humanitarian aid. At her disposal, are a multitude of Non-Profit Organizations dedicated to eradicating her fundamental problems in various ways. With one of the most popular means being raising awareness through campaigns.
Now, a campaign as we know it, is naturally supposed to be two things: Captivating and meaningful. However, in between advocating for a substantial cause and picking a tagline with the intention to attain the attention of the masses, ethical bounds are sometimes crossed. Which needless to say, should never be the case.
One such campaign is ‘Maternity Wear for a 12-Year-Old’, by the Finnish branch of Plan International. A developmental and humanitarian organization, whose core purpose is to advance children's rights and promote equality for the girl child.
‘Maternity Wear for a 12 year old’ campaign; a poor choice of a name in itself, was one created to stand against child pregnancy. Taken to its most literal extent, Plan International had a Finnish designer; Paola Suhonen, create a line of clothing for pregnant children.
Subsequently, the organization campaign managers took a 12-year-old pregnant Zambian girl, (Whose name we can not disclose due to media ethics protecting children), and had her wear the designed clothing. Finnish photographer; Meeri Koutaniemi then captured pictures of the girl in an open grassland. Having the pregnant Zambian child pose in a sexually suggestive way, almost as one would in a fashion photography shoot.
What promptly followed, was the mass production of the photographs and even a video, which did more to romanticize child pregnancy than advocate against it. And in all of this, the girl child and her family did not receive any form of compensation.
According to Finnish citizen and ardent advocate against the Maternity Wear for a 12-Year-Old campaign; Anaïs D-P. The ultimate aim of the photo shoot was to shock Finnish audiences. She shared her moral sentiments of social disapproval on the matter, going on to conclude saying:
"The Images of the pregnant 12-year-old African child were intentionally exposed and exhibited at bus stops, in storefronts and other public places in Finland, as if it were art."
To top it all off, Plan International recently received a prize for this campaign. An event that instantly drew the attention of SahWira AfricaInternational and key allies, who peaceably assembled to demonstrate in the capital of Finland, Helsinki a few weeks ago. Their apparent intent was to have the organization forfeit the prizes and humbly apologize for the offensive nature of its campaign. However, Plan did not adhere to their demands. The nonprofit organization did not apologize and neither did it return the prizes.
A campaign to ethically challenge Plan International; #ProtectBlackGirlsToo, was launched by a leading researcher at Abo Academy University (AAU), Faith Mkwesha, under her newly founded NGO, SahWira Africa International. The very organisation that instigated the peaceful march in Helsinki. One fighting for the fundamental rights of women and the girl child, and against racism, poverty and violence.
Outraged?
Know more about the fight against the eroticism of the African girl child here and support the social cause with the hashtag:
#ProtectBlackGirlsToo
