Documentary caps off africa week

The plight of child slavery in the world is the focus of tonight's screening and discussion of the documentary Stolen Childhoods presented by the Organization for African Student's Interests and Solidarity.

The event is part of the annual OASIS Africa Week. Its theme is Unspoken Truths an umbrella term meant to cover lesser-known issues affecting Africa.

The film's focus is not a distinctly African problem said junior international studies major and OASIS ACTS! Initiatives chairwoman Alexandra Zagbayou.

Africa is not a continent that's isolated in the world Zagbayou said.

Stolen Childhoods" a documentary directed by Len Morris and narrated by Meryl Streep, focuses on child slaves from eight countries.

It includes interviews with enslaved children as well as human rights activists and politicians. The film provides solutions for the child slavery problem on an international, national and local level.

The screening will be at 6 p.m. in the FedEx Global Education Center.

No issue going on in the world goes on in isolation" Zagbayou said.

Sophomore political science major Annie Clark said the problem of child labor is a global crisis. Clark is the legislative chairwoman of the Campus Y's Coalition Against Sex Trafficking and will be one of the panel members for tonight's film discussion.

The problem is worldwide" Clark said. No country is immune.""

The child labor issue is one close to Clark's heart. She has been involved in anti-trafficking policy work at both state and national levels.

""Slavery" that's exactly what this is" Clark said.

Senior international studies major Nora Nzau, OASIS co-president, said she likes that the film's topic spans the globe.

Through this film" children in Africa are dealing with the same problems as children in other places she said.

Awareness and education are the things organizers said they hope to gain from the screening and discussion.

A solution to a lot of issues going on in the world is education" Nzau said.

The film discusses possible solutions for the child labor problem. Zagbayou said she hopes to see awareness from tonight's event lead to awareness campaigns or rallies around campus.

Ultimately, she said, she hopes participants can find a way, through their majors, future careers and passions, to make change.

Clark said she agrees that awareness is important, but she also offered some insight in how to affect change.

Start locally"" she said.

Clark said child slavery, especially in sex trafficking cases, is a big domestic problem. Clark said in many domestic cases, child slavery or labor is often mistaken for illegal immigration or prostitution by law enforcement. When that happens, Clark said, the victims are mistaken for criminals.

Clark said taking action on a local level against child labor means contacting lawmakers and pushing for law enforcement training on the subject.

Eventually the policy makers have to notice"" Clark said.

The screening and discussion of Stolen Childhoods"" and other Africa Week events lead up to Africa Night" an event that includes a dinner speakers" a play and fashion show.



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