Growing up in an urban city, I had no idea about the circumstances which happened in a rural area. For me, life was same in other parts of my country, but one day I went to my friend’s house and learned from him that his maid’s daughter was getting married, who was our age. So many girls are forced to get married at a young age when they should be in schools, living their childhood but unfortunately it is that they have to adopt a life which was not their choice and they were forced into it. Lack of education and poverty are the factors which are affecting these areas.

“Shattering the silence” a short animated series produced by SOC films are telling us about issues that are affecting our society and how children are subjected to child abuse, child labor, and child marriage. Until now SOC films have produced 3 parts and have also worked on other short films as well.

Cheena Hua Bachpan:

Often in rural areas children are traded because of the debt and the child has to pay the price. In the first part, a young girl sent away from home to work at house as a servant to pay off the loan which his father took. It highlights how she was beaten and treated harshly.  Based on a true story, the child was taken by authorities and later sent to a child support service. But, unfortunately, not every girl gets an escape out and they have to live there whole life in harsh circumstances.

Iqbal Masih ka bachpan:

In the second installment, this story tells us about a boy who is forced into child labor by his father. The boy wants to study but due to the debt he cannot leave and all the children are treated badly in the factory.  As the government announces it is was illegal to keep a child at the labor that news gave hope to the boy. He went to the local authorities but because of the flawed system, they refused to hear him and sent him back to the factory. Somehow he manages to escape and goes to a child support facility, making a promise to himself that he will become a lawyer one day who will fight for the rights of children that are forced to work.

Child Marriage:

The third installment of the series tells us about a girl named Mina. She was pulled out of school and married off at a young age. In our rural areas, girls are not sent to the school or they are pulled out early because the culture is as such, that girls don’t have any business studying and they are supposed to look after the household. These young girls often face complications because their young bodies cannot bear the pain of carrying a child.