Wednesday 17 April 2013

"Childhood Studies Film Project" concluded today along with the filming of "Innocent Voices"


With the film "Innocent Voices" about child soldiers, Nathalia cleverly led us to think about risk factors for becoming child soldiers. Poverty and militarization taking over state control were mentioned among other factors. If war dehumanize people, what would prevent a child to become child soldier? International laws are not enough as the discussion went to think about the effect of war to children's lives, even after the war ends. Indeed these words from War Child International are worthy of our reflection: It's not only about how we take children out of war but how can we take the war out of the child.

This is the last section of the Film Project. We may plan to have more event to let people know about children issue in different context and perspective later.

Monday 15 April 2013

Childhood Studies Film Project 3 ~ Child Soldiers

Film: Voces Inocentes (Innocent Voices) 2004. 90 minutes.

A Mexican film directed by Luis Mandoki.  The plot is set during the Salvadoran Civil War in Cuscatanzingo, and is based on writer Óscar Torres's childhood. The film serves as a general commentary on the military use of children. The movie also shows injustice against innocent people who are forced to fight in the war. It follows the story of the narrator, a boy named Chava (description taken of the movie’s Facebook page).

Date: Wednesday, April 17th 2013
Time: 17h00 – 19h00
Location: 6th Floor Staff Room
                 Chrystal Macmillan Building
                 15A George Square
                 Edinburgh EH8 9LD


Facilitator: Nathalia Salamanca-Sarmiento, researcher of the Children and Armed Conflict Observatory from the Coalition against the involvement of boys, girls and youth into the armed conflict in Colombia (2009-2012).

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Wednesday 27 March 2013

Film Project 2 ~ powerpoint






IT IS ME



Hi, I just want to say...that it’s me who is not feeling well.

It is not 10 percent or 2 percent or something like that.

It is me!



For example, it is not only in other places that children

are at risk of being exploited.

It is I who am at risk!

And...neither is it 1 million children living in prostitution, nor 19 million people who are poor. For that matter, it’s not just 5 million teenage girls who become pregnant every year.

It is me!



1/5 of the population in the world lives on less than 1 US$ a day and 60-80 of the girls growing up in institutions become prostitutes...

But in real life it’s me!



You can say that in 1995, 30 million children

lost both their parents in AIDS.

Guess who was one of those 30 million children?
It is not true that 1 million children are drawn into

commercial sexual exploitation every year.

It’s me!



It is not true that many children are afraid of being left to live in the streets. It frightens me!

I am afraid of it...

And it is not true that many of the teenagers today are afraid of being abused and neglected.

It is I who am afraid.



It is never “a few percent” or “some” or “one million”

who have problems.

It’s always somebody, it’s me...



Source:

Farid, M. (2000) Eksploitasi Seksual Komersial Anak: Tantangan bagi Indonesia. In: S. Sularto, ed. Seandainya Aku Bukan Anakmu: Potret Kehidupan Anak Indonesia. Jakarta: Kompas, pp. 126-137

Film Project 2~Street Children

Our film project session 2 today was about street children. Facilitator, Harla, has discussed with audiences  the different contexts of Street Children in the world. She showed a short documentary made by Street Children in Jakarta about one-day in their life. After the movie, we went to discussion on this topic. 

Friday 22 March 2013

Childhood Studies Film Project 2 ~ Street Children


Film: “A day with Budi: A story of street children in Jakarta.” 15 minutes


Short documentary film made by a 15 year old boy and his friend showing how they live in the streets of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. The movie simply wish to show people the everyday lives of many street children in Jakarta. Like any other children, street children play, take a rest, eating, and making friends. However their ordinaries are a question for children’s rights. 

Date: Wednesday March 27th, 2013
Time: 18h15 – 19h15
Venue: 6th Floor Staff Room, Chrystal Macmillan Building 
           15A George Square, Edinburgh
           EH8 9LD



Facilitator: Harla Sara Octarra, researcher of Yayasan ARTI (Action Research & Training Institute) in Jakarta (2005 – 2012). The institute focusses on research and training using participatory approach as a method in establishing awareness on children’s rights and a respect to human dignity.



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