Promoting
Human Rights through
fact-based documentaries

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Changing the world
one documentary at a time.

THE WHY FOUNDATION is a non-profit media organization that supports sustainable development by securing free access to reliable information for millions of people around the world. We produce and distribute documentaries & multimedia content about human rights, democracy, justice and equality.

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19M
YOUTUBE VIEWS
100M
VIEWS PER FILM
191
COUNTRIES
100+
FILMS AVAILABLE
Read our 2023 Impact Report
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1. Production and acquisition of independent films
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2. Distribution through broadcasting, outreach activities and online platforms
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3. Engagement and influence through events and talks
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4. Action and change at personal, social and political levels
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Recent Highlights

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TEACHING 7000 STUDENTS ABOUT 
HUMAN RIGHTS

The school year has begun and our project, Ask Why? Docs, is back in Danish cinemas. 7000 students aged 13 to 17 from all parts of Denmark are going to see three human rights-focused documentary films during the coming months. According to UNICEF findings, 55% of Danish youth knows little to nothing about human rights. Ask Why? Docs ensures that the students are educated on the subject, by engaging them outside of the traditional classroom. Each film we show is followed by a Q&A with an expert, whose story is directly related to the topic of the film. This works to fully engage the students and allows them to reflect and ask questions immediately after watching a film. We are currently working to expand this project outside of Denmark. Read more about the project here.

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DOCUMENTARIES
AIRING NOW

Season 7 of  WHY STORIES is now showing on BBC World News to a weekly audience of 364 million people in over 200 countries and territories. One of the films is 'We Hold the Line' featuring Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa. See whats in the new season here.

REACHING RUSSIAN
SPEAKERS

In an effort to provide Russian speakers with human rights focused content, we've created a Russian YouTube channel. It has already accumulated 250.000 views across 9 countries. Visit the channel here.

News

New ASK WHY? Film Highlights the Harsh Route for Asylum Seekers in Denmark

September 26, 2023

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Film Screenings at Folkemøde Møn

August 14, 2023

Read story

Impact Report: What The Why Achieved in 2022

July 12, 2023

Read story

New ASK WHY? Film Highlights the Harsh Route for Asylum Seekers in Denmark

Film Screenings at Folkemøde Møn

Impact Report: What The Why Achieved in 2022

Kenyan Film Festival Screens Stealing Africa to Highlight Land Exploitation in the Region

Why Stories Season 7 Explores the Asylum System, Press Freedom, Femicide and Nomadic Life

Russian Channel Hits 100,000 views as Kremlin-Backed Disinformation Campaigns Continue

More News
Three awards: an Oscar, a Peabody, and a YouTube platinum.

Watch our award-winning documentaries

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Film of the Month

Bloody Cartoons

Karsten Kjaer

Bloody Cartoons is a documentary about how and why drawings in a Danish provincial paper could whirl a small country into a confrontation with Muslims all over the world. Journalist Karsten Kjær asks whether respect for Islam combined with the heated response to the cartoons is now leading us towards self-censorship. How tolerant should we be of the intolerant? And what limits should there be, to freedom of speech in a democracy?
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Where We Are

World map of media outreach.
Outreach and Broadcasting Partners
THE WHY's Local Broadcasting Partners
THE WHY's Outreach Partners
BBC World's Reach (+200 countries and territories)

THE WHY works with partners across the world to extend free access to information for everyone.

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