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RP, Because I am a Girl 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Rosa Parks)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

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Because I am a Girl (Malala)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

Malala 1, Because I am a Girl 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Malala and Plan)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

Girls Reload, Because I am a Girl 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Girls Reload)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

Final Girl, Because I am a Girl 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Final Girl)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

FGM, Because I am a Girl 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (FGM)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

Believe in Me 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Believe in Me)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

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18+: Ending Child Marriages

This mural was created as part of Plan International's campaign '18+: Ending Child Marriage in Southern Africa' to raise awareness of the negative aspects of child and forced marriages. A ‘Pinkification’ campaign occurred in Maputo, Maxixe and Inhambane whereby pink billboards, buses and murals appeared throughout the cities. Children were invited to take part in the mural and paint the message 'I want to decide my own future; say no to child marriage'.With this campaign, Plan International aimed to empower girls and challenge gender norms and practices that drive child/forced marriage. The project included workshops with communities to promote education and training sessions for government representatives, schools, etc. on sexual and reproductive health rights. Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

Sierra Leone Mural Makeni.jpg

Modern Day Slavery Exists

This mural was created in Sierra Leone by WHI (World Hope International) with FAAST (Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking). It highlights different types of slavery, including forced sexual exploitation and forced labour. The piece raises awareness of the vulnerability of migrant workers and stresses that people must be careful about accepting jobs that might sound "too good to be true".World Hope International is an organisation that works with vulnerable and exploited communities around the world. It aims to alleviate poverty, suffering and injustice, and this mural was created as part of their anti-trafficking work in Sierra Leone.WHI is a member of FAAST, an alliance of Christian organisations that are working together to combat slavery and human trafficking. Other members include Compassion First, who work with survivors, and the Salvation Army. WHI was the lead in FAAST in Sierra Leone and have helped raise awareness of modern slavery in the country.

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Human Trafficker

This mural in the Northern Samar region of the Philippines depicts different types of modern slavery, including child trafficking and forced sexual exploitation. Unfortunately very little is known about this mural, including the date it was created or the artist. The central figure is depicted as an evil human trafficker who does whatever he can to keep himself happy. At the side we see the sad faces of several children and one child buries their head in their hands.

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#MissingGirl (group)

The organisation MISSING was founded by Leena Kerjriwal and started as a public art project after years of working with NGOs such as Apne Aap, Hamari Muskan and New Light. As an artist, Kejriwal fought against human trafficking by creating installations in galleries that brought up the realities of sex trafficking. She felt that the world needed a new approach to tackling human trafficking and introduced MISSING as a four-part Art As Activism movement through her #MissingGirl stencil campaign.The stencil campaign aimed to raise awareness of human trafficking in local communities and educate people on the issue, as well as helping people thinking about how they can stop modern slavery. Over two years, the campaign has spread beyond India to include six countries and 18 cities, with 2,500 stencils and over 42 million impressions made on people. The campaign continues today and you can find out more here. In 2017 the MISSING Stencil Campaign spread to the walls of the German Consulate in Kolkata. The single silhouette of the missing girl, which can be seen on the right, has been multiplied and as the girls increase, they fade into the background and are lost forever. The German Consulate Mural Project is an initiative of the Missing Collective, a group of artists that create art around the MISSING campaign. Jurgen Thomas Schrod, German's deputy consul-general, said that he thought the mural was a fantastic idea and crucial to highlight the fact that child trafficking occurs all around the world, not just in India.

Zabou, Dream Big 2015.jpg

Because I Am A Girl (Dream Big)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.

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Let Us Remember

In 2011, English literature students at T.C. Williams High School, Virginia, were inspired to create a mural and raise money for survivors of forced sexual exploitation. After reading Sold by Patricia McCormack, a novel about sex trafficking in India, the students wanted to do something to combat slavery.At the centre of the mural is a quote by Eli Wiesel, the writer, professor and political activist who survived the Holocaust. Surrounding the quote are the students' hand prints - for every hand-print placed on the wall, students made a $3 donation and the students raised over $100. The proceeds went to Courtney's House, an organisation that helps survivors of sex trafficking. The charity was set up in 2008 by Tina Frundt, a survivor of sex trafficking, and fights to protect children from sexual exploitation. The charity provides counselling, medical treatment, food, clothing and toiletries to survivors of sex trafficking. Erin Neff, Assistant Project Manager of Courtney’s House, visited the students and explained that the organisation's name allows survivors to say they are 'just going to Courtney's house'. Neff also told teachers that the organisation has helped survivors who have come from T.C. Williams High School, emphasising the fact that the sex trafficking of children is 'something that happens in our backyard.'

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9th Hour: Child Recruitment (balloon)

This piece is part of a series of murals led by the artist and activist Murad Subay, which was launched on 4th July 2013. The project discussed twelve political and social issues affecting Yemeni society, such as treason, corruption, civil war and child soldiers. Unfortunately many of the murals were vandalised after their completion. The murals were painted over a year and the artist painted a different topic each month. The murals created for '9th Hour' focused on the recruitment of children as soldiers and highlighted how many children are torn away from their families to die for a cause they don't understand. This mural depicts a child dressed half in normal clothes and half in a military uniform or camouflage dress. On one side the boy holds a balloon and is smiling, but on the military side the balloon has gone, as has the smile. 

Subay, 9th Hour.jpg

9th Hour: Child Recruitment (football)

This piece is part of a series of murals led by the artist and activist Murad Subay, which was launched on 4th July 2013. The project discussed twelve political and social issues affecting Yemeni society, such as treason, corruption, civil war and child soldiers. Unfortunately many of the murals were vandalised after their completion. The murals were painted over a year and the artist painted a different topic each month. The murals created for '9th Hour' focused on the recruitment of children as soldiers and highlighted how many children are torn away from their families to die for a cause they don't understand. This mural shows a child soldier with a machine gun over his shoulder. He is looking down at the floor and a thought bubble shows that he is thinking about football, rather than being a soldier.

Almowafak, 9th Hour.jpg

9th Hour: Child Recruitment (grave)

This piece is part of a series of murals led by the artist and activist Murad Subay, which was launched on 4th July 2013. The project discussed twelve political and social issues affecting Yemeni society, such as treason, corruption, civil war and child soldiers. Unfortunately many of the murals were vandalised after their completion. The murals were painted over a year and the artist painted a different topic each month. The murals created for '9th Hour' focused on the recruitment of children as soldiers and highlighted how many children are torn away from their families to die for a cause they don't understand. This particular mural shows a child soldier holding a rifle and walking towards a gravestone, with a arrow showing that child recruitment will lead to death.

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#WallsCANBloom Zambia

This piece was part of a series of murals created in 9 countries across Africa. The #WallsCANBloom campaign was launched by the Government of Canada in 2016, whereby the government committed $80 million to ending early and forced marriage in Africa.The murals were created on or around 16th June 2016, which is the International Day of the African Child. Local artists, activists, NGOs, schools and communities were involved in the design and execution of the murals. The pieces were displayed on the buildings of Canadian embassies and High Commissions and unveilings of the murals were accompanied by speeches and events. The campaign had a strong presence on Twitter with #WallsCANBloom.This specific mural was created by students from the school of HSS-MPFA Department of Fine Art at the Zambian Open University. It portrays young girls being offered education instead of marriage and pregnancy, with marriage rings representing handcuffs and the phrase 'say no to early marriage and teen pregnancy'.

Silva, Free as a bird 2015.jpg

Because I am a Girl (Free As A Bird)

In 2015, the team behind Femme Fierce (the World's Largest All Female Graffiti Street Festival) worked with Women of the World (WOW) and Plan International UK to create a series of murals against forced marriage. Over 150 female street artists took to the graffiti tunnel on Leake Street in Waterloo to support Plan UK’s fight against child and forced marriage. This project was part of Plan International’s worldwide campaign ‘Because I am a Girl’. The walls were painted blue to reflect Plan’s logo and then the female artists let their imagination run wild, painting their interpretations of ‘Because I am a Girl’.Plan International, which works to protect the rights of children, launched this campaign to fight for girls’ rights and gender equality. It is a youth-led, global movement that supports girls to take the lead and influence decisions that matter to them. The charity works on forced and child marriage throughout the world.This mural was created by Fio Silva and depicts a bird escaping from the confines of the home to spread her wings in life.

Shepard Fairy Covington.jpg

Duality of Humanity

This mural of a child soldier was created by Shepard Fairey (Obey Giant), the artist who is famous for creating the iconic Obama HOPE poster. The image draws parallels between the complex emotions around the Vietnam War and the invasion of Iraq. While it does not focus on modern slavery, it includes an element of modern slavery in the form of a child soldier.There was a great amount of controversy surrounding this mural. Michael Claypool, the building's owner, did not review the piece before it was placed onto his wall and he was shocked when it was unveiled. Claypool commented that he felt it was offensive and he hired painters to cover the mural in white paint. Many felt the mural was inappropriate considering it was opposite the John G. Carlisle Elementary School.Shepard Fairey admitted that he did not know that the mural was opposite a school and stated that had he known of the school's presence, he would have altered the piece. However the artist defended his work and commented that he felt it did not encourage violence, but rather did the opposite. The artist created another mural against child soldiers in 2011 as part of the Irvine Contemporary Art Gallery project in Washington D.C.

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Slave Labour

This Bansky piece was placed on the side of a Poundland store in Wood Green, London in May 2012. It was created by the infamous artist in protest against the use of sweatshops to create Diamond Jubilee and London Olympics memorabilia in 2012. It features a child crouching on the ground, sewing together bunting with the Union Jack. It has become an iconic image of child labour and child slavery.The mural remained on the wall until February 2013, when it was removed and put up for sale at the Fine Art Auctions in Miami. However, after appeals from residents of Wood Green, the mural was withdrawn the Miami auction and returned to the UK. It was subsequently sold at auction in Convent Garden, London for $1.2million. After the mural was removed, a stencil of Banksy's supposed signature rat holding a sign asking 'why?' was placed on the wall, which was then quickly removed. A Banksy representative stated that this was a fake.