Highlights from Girl Summit 2014

This DFID (Department of International Development, United Kingdom - UK) video features highlights of the July 22 2014, UK-hosted Girl Summit, aimed at mobilising domestic and international efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) within a generation. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) co-hosted the event. The film shows:

• The location, a school, chosen to emphasise the need for increased opportunities for girls in their educational pursuits, including the agency to attend school, rather than marry early, in order to have workforce opportunities.
• Participants from international governmental, bilateral, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), who speak of partnering and finding government cooperation in working to end FGM and CEFM.
• A ministry-level announcement of UK government programming to protect girls from FGM and CEFM.
• Officials voicing their support of girls' human rights and empowerment.
• The UK prime minister outlining the goal of making illegal everywhere in the world, within this generation, the practices of FGM and CEFM. 
• Women and girls demanding that work to stop these practices cannot be set aside in favour of maintaining cultural traditions because these traditions are human rights violations and need to be replaced by traditions created by women and girls that respect their rights.
• Heads of organisations reflecting on Britain's leadership in bringing issues surrounded by social taboos into the open and developing momentum for changing them.
• From the DFID website: "Show your support - join our call for an end to female genital mutilation and child, early and forced marriage - sign the pledge."