8 JUNE2022The Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) announced guidelines yesterday at an event to protect against negative gender stereotypes in advertisements. Smriti Zubin Irani, the Union Minister for Women & Child Development, was also in attendance, and she questioned why it took the advertising sector so long to produce recommendations on detrimental gender stereotypes in advertisements.Irani further stated that it is past time for women in the advertising sector to stand forward. Irani questioned the advertising and marketing industry's emphasis placed on character, safety, and security, as well as how a woman is perceived in society. She said, "If you think we are of value then you will not need these guidelines. The fact that in 2022 we needed to come up with guidelines against harmful gender stereotyping is an indication that women are not valued truly within the industry. Then how will it create value outside the industry? The time for incremental change is over because we have lost much in this wait".Only three ASCI members attended the event, despite the fact that the organisation has over 800 members. Irani then questioned the sincerity of the members who were unable to attend the occasion. She said, "That is where the change needs to begin. If your members do not deem these guidelines important enough to be present here and support the organisation that means the change has to start from home. We need to contact the absent 797 members of ASCI and reflect on why their absence speaks louder than their presence on IN FOCUSSMRITI IRANI CONDEMNS THE ADVERTISING SECTOR FOR ITS REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN ADVERTISEMENTS
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