Young Girls Smash Symbols of Marriage in Empowering ActionAid Campaign

Let children be children, goes the old adage - but for over 640 million women and girls around the world who have been forced to marry against their will and before the age of 18, childhood has been cut brutally short. This shocking statistic highlights the true extent of early marriage - a grave violation of human rights, and a global issue which international independent organisation ActionAid is aiming to raise awareness of, via a powerful new campaign: ‘I’ll Marry When I Want’.

Created by independent agency DUDE Milan, the campaign seeks to create a ‘manifesto of freedom’ in which the voices and actions of young girls are heard and upheld, celebrating their rebellion against imposed destiny in scenes of playful destruction. A story of strength rather than fragility, 'I’ll Marry When I Want' calls for people to support ActionAid in its fight to end child marriage through an integrated approach that brings together education, women’s empowerment, community participation and political advocacy.

The energetic and empowering campaign is inspired by a poem by 13-year-old Eileen Piri from Malawi - a girl who witnessed firsthand the tragedy of early marriage, and whose words gained a global audience during a TEDx talk by activist Memory Banda. More than simply a tagline or title, Piri’s verses shape the campaign’s entire narrative.

At the heart of ‘I’ll Marry When I Want’ is a film directed by South African filmmaker Zee Ntuli, known for exploring themes such as identity, belonging, and socio-political dynamics throughout his work. Set to the haunting words of Piri’s poem, and evocatively soundtracked by Sudan Archives’ Selfish Soul, the film portrays a group of ‘girls being girls’ and doing what children around the world love most: playing loudly, freely and - at times - destructively.

Yet instead of breaking household objects or random toys being broken, the girls are shown smashing the symbols of traditional marriage with all their might. Wedding dresses are crumpled and torn, wedding reception chairs are toppled and dainty white bridal shoes are trodden into the mud - all in a celebration of strength, energy and rebellion. The film concludes with a call to support ActionAid’s efforts to give every girl in the world the right to remain a child and to choose her own future.

The film was shot in the Namutumba District, one of the regions in Uganda with the highest incidence of gender-based violence, particularly early and forced marriages.

The protagonists of the campaign are all students of Buwongo Primary School, one of the elementary schools supported by ActionAid in the country through its child sponsorship programme. Through their performances, they gave body and voice to their own experiences and to the story of a phenomenon they have personally witnessed in their everyday lives.

Lorenzo Eusepi, general co-secretary, ActionAid commented, “Child marriage does not only destroy childhood, but also the dreams, aspirations and opportunities of an entire generation of girls. With this campaign, we want to amplify their voices and remind everyone that change begins with the right to make a choice. Every girl must be able to say: I will marry only when it I want.”

Lorenzo Picchiotti, chief creative officer and partner, DUDE Milan added, “Non-profit communication often focuses on compassion and portrays fragility. With this campaign, we wanted to tell a different story, one of strength. Girls who play, break, and rebuild, claiming their freedom with both lightness and power. Here, girls’ empowerment is vision, it’s play, it’s the ability to say no to an imposed destiny, with strength, energy, and beauty.”

To further amplify and bolster the film’s message of empowerment, DUDE Milan has created a static social and display campaign, featuring the young female protagonists in scenes of joyful destruction and rebellion.