A stunt wedding using actors highlighted the issue of under age brides. Photo / World Vision
A stunt wedding using actors highlighted the issue of under age brides. Photo / World Vision
The New Zealand Herald's #NotForSale campaign with World Vision to combat exploitation of young girls in Asia has been nominated twice in the prestigious 2019 Global Media Awards.
The Herald-World Vision "Not For Sale: Ending Exploitation of Girls" campaign, which focused on child marriage, child labour and trafficking in India and Myanmar, was named a finalist for best use of video and best public relations/community service campaign in the awards, which are run by the International News Media Association (INMA).
The two-week campaign in September and October last year highlighted stories of exploitation among individual girls and their families and appealed for donations to fund World Vision's child protection work across the Asian region.
Minu, 17 and her mother in a village near Muzaffapur, Bihar, India. Photo / Mike Scott
The initial fundraising target was $100,000 – it reached $193,475 and World Vision gained 42 child sponsorships with an estimated lifetime value of $176,400.
Managing editor Shayne Currie, who welcomed the nominations as recognition for all those involved in the project, said the campaign showed New Zealanders can be part of the solution.
"With Asia on New Zealand's doorstep, we felt compelled to shine a light in dark corners, to make our audience aware of the plight of thousands of young women."
The campaign involved months of advance preparation by Herald and World Vision staff, including child safety non-identification protocols to ensure the girls featured did not suffer any repercussions as a result of the series.
Prabha, 19, was married at 16 in an arranged union. Photo / Mike Scott
Herald newspaper columnist and Newstalk ZB radio host Kerre McIvor and Herald videographer Mike Scott then spent three weeks in August travelling the Bihar region in India and Yangon in Myanmar to capture the stories of vulnerable children and their families.
The campaign gave away 3D viewers so readers could enter the life of a child bride by watching a Virtual Reality film directed by Gabo Arora and Fifer Garbesi.
The biggest story of the campaign was a deliberately provocative stunt wedding in Auckland.
Actors Kylie Thompson, 18, and Alan Fish, 55, pretended to get married at St Paul's Church to gauge public reaction. Some passersby turned their heads in horror and muttered words of disgust but none approached the newlyweds to question the situation.
Kerre McIvor talks with Devi Singh 38, and Jitendar Singh, 35, of a mens group in Agra fighting against traditions that discriminate against girls and women. Photo / Mike Scott
Columnist and radio host Kerre McIvor said she had wanted to save all the girls she met, from Riya, the 14-year-old daughter of a prostitute, to Sapna, the girl making bracelets for tourists for 16 hours a day (names both changed to protect the girls).
"Walking away from them was the hardest things I have done,"
The campaign also showed readers where their money would go. Thirty dollars could change children's lives in India by helping parents understand and speak up for the rights of all children. A $250 donation could help a survivor of trafficking in Myanmar start a new life with basic needs such as clothing and shelter, and life skills training. World Vision head of marketing and engagement Gareth Owen said the money would also be used on lobbying local decision makers to change oppressive laws.
• To donate to the Not for Sale campaign go to World Vision
