UNICEF, in a brilliantly executed social experiment, showed us the discrepancies that we actively practice in our daily lives towards children on the streets.
When 6-year-old Anano (the child actor) was dressed to a prim and pretty sight and made to stand by the bustling streets of Tbilisi, Georgia, all alone, scores of curious pedestrians stopped by asking her questions about her whereabouts. Hours later, when the same girl was made up to look like a street child, none batted an eyelid.
Putting to great effect 'what your attire says about you', the team once again conducted the same experiment, only in a different domain. The space shifted from public to somewhat private, when Anano walked into a restaurant dressed to fit the bill. Customers beckoned her, touched her flawless face, even held her close. The reactions turned topsy-turvy when Anano disguised herself, face covered in soot and tattered clothes and walked in to the restaurant a few hours later. People literally asked the child to leave. The little one, visibly confused and upset by the varying reactions, couldn't go ahead with the role-play.
The video showcases with mush clarity, the treatment that is being meted out to children who need care and attention all the more. Its revelations aren't as groundbreaking as heartbreaking, as we see the wide chasm between children from different backgrounds becoming wider still.
