Mothers of Courage reaches the UN SDG Action Awards 2026 finals.
Bihar movement has mobilised over 1.19 million citizens across 14 districts.
The documentary has received multiple honours after its Cannes Lions recognition.
Mothers of Courage, a documentary about a community-led movement in Bihar supporting girls’ education and challenging early marriage, has reached the finals of the UN SDG Action Awards 2026. The film has been named a finalist in the Creativity category.
Mothers of Courage documentary reaches UN SDG finals
The documentary follows mothers and mothers-in-law who have challenged social norms to help girls continue their education. The movement, part of Shikshagraha, has mobilised more than 1.19 million citizens across 14 districts of Bihar.
Its work centres on Shiksha Chaupals, community gatherings where families discuss barriers to girls’ education, including child marriage. More than 44,892 gatherings have been held since October 2024.
The significance of the stories was highlighted by Khushboo Awasthi, cofounder of Mantra4Change and chief curator of Shikshagraha. “When we began documenting these stories in Bihar, we knew they were powerful, but to see Mothers of Courage travel from those villages to a global stage like the UN is something else altogether,” she said.
Cannes Lions recognition and global awards
Directed by Vandana R and produced by Butterfly Effect Media, Mothers of Courage has collected several honours this year. It was India's only entry shortlisted in the Sustainable Development Goals Lions category at Cannes Lions 2026.
The documentary also won Best Inspirational Film at the Los Angeles Film Awards and received honours at the ABBY Awards and the SABRE South Asia and Asia Pacific Awards. It was also named a finalist at the 7th Mumbai International Film Festival.
The film’s latest recognition comes through the Heroes of Tomorrow: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Action Awards, with the ceremony set to take place in Rome on October 29.
Shikshagraha, championed by Infosys cofounder SD Shibulal, works to strengthen India’s public education system, with its network focused on improving one million public schools through partnerships with civil society, industry and philanthropic organisations.
