16 DECISIONS

SIXTEEN DECISIONS

Producer, Gayle Ferraro, gives the audience the benefit of her experience with the women. She offers reflection and clarification to provide an engaging context for western viewers with a culture that can feel antiquated and obtuse in its harsh shrouds. The film shows the effects of a society that practically considers women as property and forbids them to speak or move their bodies in public. Using the courage the women show even leaving their houses, Ferraro builds the story to subtly suggest the viewer look more deeply at their own unexamined views and find meaningful challenges in their lives as well. With Selina and the women of Bangladesh as inspiration, it isn’t hard to do.

THESE ARE THE SIXTEEN DECISIONS

A Woman's Social Charter in Bangladesh - Created by Nobel Laureate Professor Yunus

1. We shall follow and advance the four principles of Grameen Bank—Discipline, Unity, Courage and Hard work —in all walks of our lives.

2. We shall bring prosperity to our families.

3. We shall not live in dilapidated houses. We shall repair our houses and work towards constructing new houses at the earliest.

4. We shall grow vegetables all the year round. We shall eat plenty of them and sell the surplus.

5. During the plantation season, we shall plant as many seedlings as possible.

6. We shall plan to keep our families small. We shall minimize our expenditures. We shall look after our health.

7. We shall educate our children and ensure that we can earn to pay for their education.

8. We shall always keep our children and the environment clean.

9. We shall build and use pit-latrines.

10. We shall drink water from tubewells. If it is not available, we shall boil water or use alum.

11. We shall not take any dowry at our sons’ weddings, neither shall we give any dowry at our daughters’ wedding. We shall keep the center free from the curse of dowry. We shall not practice child marriage.

12. We shall not inflict any injustice on anyone, neither shall we allow anyone to do so.

13. We shall collectively undertake bigger investments for higher incomes.

14. We shall always be ready to help each other. If anyone is in difficulty, we shall all help him or her.

15. If we come to know of any breach of discipline in any center, we shall go there and help restore discipline.

16. We shall introduce physical exercise in all our Centers. We shall take part in all social activities collectively.