{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='USA: GHANAIAN WOMAN GRANTED ASYLUM' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bca7d8eafeecae12e514' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bca7d8eafeecae12e514' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nUSA: GHANAIAN WOMAN GRANTED ASYLUM\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eEnglish/NatTwo years after fleeing her native country, a Ghanaian woman once threatened with genital mutilation, has been granted asylum by the United States.After spending most of those two years at an I-N-S (Immigration and...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eEnglish/Nat\u003cbr/\u003eTwo years after fleeing her native country, a Ghanaian woman once threatened with genital mutilation, has been granted asylum by the United States.\u003cbr/\u003eAfter spending most of those two years at an I-N-S (Immigration and Naturalization Service) detention centre in New York, Adelaide Abankwah was released a month ago on parole. \u003cbr/\u003eSince being granted asylum, she spoke for the first time at a press conference in New York saying her new life in the U-S will give her a fresh start.\u003cbr/\u003eAdelaide Abankwah is finally free to stay in the United States.\u003cbr/\u003eAnd despite her nearly two year ordeal at an I-N-S detention centre in Queens, she's looking forward to becoming an \"American.\"\u003cbr/\u003eIn her first public appearance since the U-S \"Board of Immigration Appeals\" granted her asylum, Adelaide Abankwah was tearful but relieved. \u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (English)\u003cbr/\u003e\"More than a month ago, I thought I would die in jail. But today, I'm here. I'm so happy to be free. I don't have to worry about being deported, or dying in jail.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Adelaide Abankwah\u003cbr/\u003eAdelaide, now 29, fled from a small rural village Ghana in 1997.\u003cbr/\u003eShe felt impelled to leave when she learnt that because she had lost her virginity before marriage, she would be forced to undergo genital mutilation at the hands of the village elders.\u003cbr/\u003eThe small rural tribe Ms. Abankwah comes from does not traditionally practise the procedure, but she was threatened with it after her mother died.\u003cbr/\u003eShe had to face a physical examination to prove her worthy of succession as \"queen mother.\" \u003cbr/\u003eThe female figurehead is supposed to be a virgin - Ms. Abankwah wasn't.\u003cbr/\u003eAfter fleeing to America via Rome, she was caught with an altered passport at Kennedy Airport, then incarcerated.\u003cbr/\u003eWhile she waited for the I-N-S to decide her fate, she suffered weight-loss, depression, and contracted a number of illnesses including tuberculosis.\u003cbr/\u003eAt that time a number of high profile organisations, including \"Equality Now\" and the women's magazine \"Marie Claire\" waged a highly publicised campaign to free her.\u003cbr/\u003eThey enlisted a number of politicians and spokeswomen feminist icon Gloria Steinem.  \u003cbr/\u003eSteinem admonished authorities for detaining  Adelaide Abankwah while the Immigration and Naturalization Service, and later the courts, decided her fate.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (English)\u003cbr/\u003e\"I'm so happy and proud to have her as a citizen of the United States. We're so lucky to have this woman here of such courage and intelligence. And I think that as Americans we need to really look at the ways in which the access to our country is being restricted, without our knowledge, without our voting, without our understanding even of what the motives are.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Gloria Steinem, Women's Rights Activist\u003cbr/\u003eFemale Genital Mutilation, or FGM, is widely practiced in Africa, Asia and Middle East, and involves the removal of all  - or part of the female genitalia. \u003cbr/\u003eThe purpose of FGM is to repress women's sexual desire and keep her faithful to her husband. \u003cbr/\u003eRoughly two (m) million women around the world undergo FGM annually. \u003cbr/\u003eAnd although Ghana has outlawed the practice, 15-30% of women there are subjected to it. \u003cbr/\u003eFor now, Ms. Abankwah is awaiting an employment permit and staying with a minister in the South Bronx, New York.\u003cbr/\u003eSOUNDBITE: (English)\u003cbr/\u003e\"I will now begin to enjoy my life in America. I plan to study at Marrimont Manhattan college to get my GED (high-school equivalency test).  I will also get a part-time job and volunteer at Equality Now.\"\u003cbr/\u003eSUPER CAPTION: Adelaide Abankwah\u003cbr/\u003eAt the press conference, supporters presented her with an American flag. \u003cbr/\u003eAdelaide says she will not return to Ghana.\u003cbr/\u003e New York City, USA - 19 August 1999 and File  \u003cbr/\u003eAugust 19 - New York\u003cbr/\u003e1. Wide shot presser\u003cbr/\u003e2. Medium shot Adelaide and friends\u003cbr/\u003e3. Close up Adelaide\u003cbr/\u003e4. Cutaway cameras\u003cbr/\u003e5. Wide shot Adelaide at podium\u003cbr/\u003e5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adelaide Abankwah\u003cbr/\u003e14 July -  Queens, New York \u003cbr/\u003e6. Wide shot I-N-S detention center\u003cbr/\u003e7. Close up security camera\u003cbr/\u003e8. Wide shot Adelaide in prison uniform\u003cbr/\u003e9. Close up I-N-S label on prison uniform\u003cbr/\u003e10. Wide shot, Adelaide walks through door at detention center\u003cbr/\u003e11. Wide shot, Adelaide walks down hall\u003cbr/\u003e19 August 1999\u003cbr/\u003e12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gloria Steinem, Women's Rights Activist\u003cbr/\u003eUndated File, Africa\u003cbr/\u003e13. Wide shot women sitting\u003cbr/\u003e14. Medium shot woman being examined \u003cbr/\u003e15. Close-up woman's face\u003cbr/\u003e16. Close-up bloody rag\u003cbr/\u003e19 August New York\u003cbr/\u003e17. Wide shot Adelaide hugging woman\u003cbr/\u003e18. Cutaway media\u003cbr/\u003e19. SOUNDBITE: (English) Adelaide Abankwah\u003cbr/\u003e20. 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class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e1999\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003eimmigration, new york, ghana, north america, naturalization, west africa, africa, social issues, equality, time, america, women\u0026#39;s rights, new york city\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv 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