Watch Half the Sky

Half the Sky is a groundbreaking documentary series from PBS that premiered on October 1, 2012. Based on the best-selling book of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, the four-part series explores the urgent issue of global gender inequality and the efforts being made to empower women and girls around the world.

Each episode of Half the Sky takes viewers on a journey to different corners of the globe, from Cambodia to Kenya to India, to see firsthand the shocking and often brutal realities faced by millions of women and girls every day. America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, How to Train Your Dragon) and Diane Lane (Under the Tuscan Sun, Unfaithful) serve as the series' hosts and guides, interviewing experts and activists, and meeting brave women and girls who are fighting for their rights and those of others in their communities.

Throughout the series, Nicholas Kristof lends his expertise and insights as a global journalist and advocate for women's rights. His reporting has been critical in raising awareness and driving change on issues such as human trafficking and forced prostitution, and his presence on the ground in Half the Sky highlights the importance of both investigative reporting and effective advocacy in tackling these issues.

Half the Sky is a difficult but essential watch. The series does not shy away from the often-horrific realities of gender inequality, from the forced prostitution of young girls in Cambodia to the maternal mortality crisis in Sierra Leone to the brutal practice of female genital mutilation in Ethiopia. However, it balances these difficult stories with tales of hope, resilience, and empowerment. We meet women like Somaly Mam, a Cambodian survivor of sex trafficking who now runs a foundation dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating trafficked girls; or Edna Adan, a Somali midwife and former foreign minister who is building a maternity hospital to provide critical care to women in her country.

Overall, Half the Sky is a powerful and emotional series that shines a bright light on one of the world's most pressing human rights issues. It challenges viewers to confront the realities of gender inequality and reminds us that we all have a role to play in driving change.

Half the Sky is a series that ran for 1 seasons (4 episodes) between October 1, 2012 and on PBS