Freida speaks up for girls
Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 21, 2014)

Over 125 million girls and women, across 29 countries, have suffered the ill effects of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). And according to UNICEF figures, one out of every three women between the age of 20 and 24 was married before they turned 18, and 23 million girls, i.e. 11 per cent of the world population, wed before they were 15.

To bring an end to these age-old evils, the first Girl Summit, in partnership with the UNICEF, is being hosted in the UK. Among those making their presence are UK's Home Minister, Theresa May, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and actor-activist Freida Pinto. Tomorrow, Freida will deliver the closing speech, along with UK's Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

Speaking about the cause, Freida says, "Girls and women have the right to live free from violence and discrimination and achieve their potential, but some of them are being prevented from doing so by these harmful practices which are illegal in the UK."

Horrified that the practices continue in India too, the actress has decided to raise her voice against the violation of human rights. "At the summit, I will discuss how ending child marriage and FGM can preserve a girl's childhood, promote her education, and reduce her exposure to violence and abuse, allowing her to make choices about her future and fulfil her potential," she says.

Earlier, Frieda was part of the 2013 feature, Girl Rising directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E Robbins. The story of nine girls from nine countries, it had narrations by Anne Hataway, Cate Blanchett, Priyanka Chopra,Chloe Grace Moretz, Salma Hayek, Meryl Streep, Alicia Keys and Kerry Washington. Frieda gave the 'Call for Action', reaching out to the people to build a movement.

On the professional front, she has wrapped up two films, Terrence Malick's Knight Of Cups, an American drama co-starring Christian Bale, Natalie Portman and Cate Blanchett, and Richard Raymond's biopic, Desert Dancer on Afshin Ghaffarian who risked his life to become a dancer despite a nationwide dancing ban in Iran.

The films could open towards the year-end or early 2015. Before that, Freida will start another film in the last quarter of 2014. "It's a bio-pic which she will not only act in but also co-produce it," says a source.