Courtesy of Gucci
As the United Nations Population Fund calls for government leaders to invest in gender equality, revisit this brand’s campaign to raise awareness for gender equality worldwide.
On the recent World Population Day, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) made a plea to governments worldwide to invest in gender equality.
“We must advance gender equality to create a more just, resilient and sustainable world,” the UNFPA said. “The creativity, ingenuity, resources and power of women and girls are fundamental to addressing demographic and other challenges that threaten our future, including climate change and conflict. Women play a powerful role in advancing consensus and building peace at all levels.”
This year, the Philippines advanced three spots to rank 16th among 146 countries in the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Gender Index Gap report. While remaining the most gender-equal country in Asia, in the report, the Philippines still has a long way to go; while achieved relatively gender equality in education, parity still exists in politics and there continues to be significant parity in pay between male and female workers.
Fashion’s Call For Gender Equality
Fashion has a history of dismantling gender stereotypes and championing gender equality, often in collaboration with some of the world’s biggest celebrities. Among the most prominent initiatives is Italian luxury fashion house Gucci’s partnership with Beyoncé and Salma Hayek Pinault to establish the Gucci CHIME campaign. Now in its tenth year, Gucci CHIME is dedicated to raising global awareness on gender equality and calling for change.
“While there have been some great advances in gender equality since we founded CHIME 10 years ago, there is still a lot of work to be done. It has been incredible for me to have the opportunity to meet people around the world and see firsthand the impact the campaign has had on so many lives,” Gucci CHIME Co-founder Salma Hayek Pinault says. “I’m overwhelmed and inspired by how many people want to participate in the change, and I feel very hopeful for the future. It’s really a fight worth having, now, more than ever.”
The initiative recently released a series of 35 videos featuring activists, advocates, organizers, and artists including the brand’s original ambassadors ten years ago: Hayek, Florence Welch, Julia Roberts, and John Legend, as well as Idris Elba, Julia Garner, Halle Bailey, Alia Bhatt, Serena Williams, and Jodie Turner-Smith. Each featured personality passionately speaks about what equality means to them. Directed by Academy-winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, and scored with Beyoncé’s “Freedom” from her Lemonade album, the series aims to convene, unite, and strengthen the voices speaking out for gender equality.
Funds raised from CHIME’s initiatives this year will benefit a host of NGOs and grassroots organizations working to advance gender equality around the world. The brand has partnered with UN Women’s Generation Action Coalitions, through which Gucci serves as the private sector lead on the action coalition dedicated to Feminist Movements & Leadership. Among CHIME’s partners are the African American Policy Forum, the Center for Human Rights in Iran, Equality Now, Empowered by Vee, Exist Loudly, and other organizations pushing for meaningful change in the lives of girls and women worldwide.
