Crossroads: Women's Rights Through Drama

CMFD produced Crossroads on behalf of FAHAMU (Networks for Social Justice) and the African Women’s Development and Communication Network (Africa. The aim of the drama is to promote awareness of the protocol and the issues it addresses in away that makes these issues real to people who may not even know that such a mechanism exists. Through drama and engaging storylines, the series raise s awareness about issues such as the right to peace, religion, and freedom from violence; marriage and divorce; political participation; education; and reproductive health and HIV.

 

First produced in English and Swahili for Kenyan audiences, Crossroads has since been translated and reproduced into French (as Les Pistes Croisées recorded in Senegal) and Portuguese (as Caminhos Cruzados recorded in Mozambique). 250 English, 100 Swahili, 100 French, and 100 Portuguese CDS were distributed to radios stations and organisations. CMFD (Community Media for Development) Productions produced Crossroads on behalf of FAHAMU (Networks for Social Justice) and the A frican Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) as part of the SOWAR campaign. In collaboration with People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), supported by Oxfam GB, a South Afric an adaptation and translation is currently  in progress.

 

Click below to listen... English trailer Portuguese trailer Theme songs: English (crossroads) Swahili (Njia Pacha) French (Les Pistes Croisees) Portuguese(Caminhos Crusados) Links to related CMFD work Women/ Gender projects

CMFD travelled to Nairobi, Kenya in March 2008 to record the English version of Crossroads and lay down the basics for the th  eme song; we returned in Sepember to record the Swahili version, Njia Pacha. Caminhos Crusados, the Portuguese version, was recorded in Maputo, Mozambique  in January 2009, and the French, Les Pistes Croisées, was recorded in Dakar, Senegal in February 2009. As usual, for each session we brought our mobile recording equipment and partnered with a local studio.

 

The Story

The story is about what happens when a market women, frustrated by an old, corrupt police chief in the search for her missing daughter, makes a wish she never expects to come true. As a result of a magical potion, the two switch bodies. Now in the police chief's body the search for the girls goes a little smoother, and event the police chief learns of few lessons about what it's like to be a woman in Africa.

Click here to read more about the story...

Raising awarness about the Proto  colEach episode of Crossroads is thematically related to an Article in the Protocol, specifically the right to peace, the right to freedom from violence, the right to marriage and divorce, to political participation, to education and reproductive and sexual health

Click here for more information about the Protocol and Crossroads themes...

Behind the scenes

The series was recorded in Kenya, Senegal, Mozambique, and most recently South Africa, involving local actors and musicians in each location. A lively original theme song accompanies each episode, and both complements the drama and stands alone as a powerful call to action for people to work together for women's rights. livel y original theme song accompanies each episode, and both complements the drama and stands alone as a powerful call to action for people to work together for women's rights

Click here to read more about behind the scenes...

Media support

The drama also includes a guide for radio presenters and community organisations, giving them ideas on how to take the drama further in their programming. The easy to follow guide gives presenters suggestions for questions to ask listeners or studio guests, as well as stories they can do that relate to the themes in each episode. It also contains key contacts and informatio n about women's rights, and a simplified breakdown of key articles in the Protocol that relate to the themes in the drama. The English and Swahili productions launched in September 30, 2008 in Nairobi, Kenya. The launch was preceded by a media workshop on September 29, organised by the African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET), that provided journalists with information and skills for reporting on the AU Protocol and women's rights issues.