Gorgeous New Animated Film Aims to Break ‘Invisible Barriers’ Holding Girls Back

Girl Effect, the organisation born of NIKE Foundation and multiple partners, today launches ‘Invisible Barriers’, a new short film that dramatises the cultural and social norms that hold so many girls back from reaching their full potential.

Using the unique visual animation style of Mushtashrik Mahbub and an original poem penned by Nigerian-born performance poet, Bassey Ikpi, the film illustrates the complexities of a girl’s life in poverty. We see that whilst the world is making incredible strides in providing the health, education, safety and financial services that girls need and deserve, negative attitudes and entrenched social norms prevent girls from accessing them.

The film delivers a powerful challenge: that by breaking down these “Invisible Barriers” we can create a ‘new normal’ for girls. A new normal where girls are able to stay in school, get access to health services and get married only if and when they choose; where they are supported by rather than dependent on their communities; where they are visible and vocal, as full participants in society.

Girl Effect’s work is already providing answers to this challenge. Made by girls and for girls, Girl Effect’s portfolio of locally rooted culture brands and platforms deploy positive role models, emotive storytelling and peer-to-peer connectivity to build girls’ confidence in their own potential and change the way millions of people think, feel and acts towards them.

Bassey Ikpi, poet and creator of the narrative for the animation said: "I have witnessed first hand the devastating effect on a community that does little to encourage young women to take the lead. A country, a community, a society can not grow if more than half of their populations aren’t encouraged to be active and productive members of society. With this poem, I wanted to speak directly to both the girls who need the encouragement and those who may question their importance. I know the importance of words and the power that they have to motivate change – I hope the words that I put together are able to do that in some way."

Girl Effect CEO Farah Ramzan Golant said: "Girl Effect has challenged the world to stop seeing girls as part of a global poverty problem and to see them instead as co-creators of new solutions. We are determined to help create a “new normal” for girls so they can overcome the negative attitudes and beliefs that hold them back ."

Alex Halley, Producer (Partizan) said: "The purpose behind creating this animation was totally inspiring and really pushed the team to make this film as beautiful, emotive and engaging as possible. We certainly had our work cut out for us when we first heard Bassey’s poem and heartfelt delivery, but were honoured to have the chance to try and match it with visuals that could do it justice. The final result is a film we’re very proud to have been a part of and hope it is a positive step towards shifting the way girls are perceived in these developing countries."