The Unstereotype Alliance has launched its national chapter for India. The India chapter is the ninth of the national chapters to be launched worldwide, and the second in Asia. The move was a coalition formed to tackle harmful stereotypes in advertising with support from EU-funded WeEmpowerAsia Programme. The Alliance will work towards broadening the representation of women and girls in non-traditional roles in advertising with a focus on women returning to the workforce across India.
Convened by UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, the Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform. It works towards eradicating harmful stereotypes from advertising and media.
The Unstereotype Alliance’s India National Chapter founding members include Hindustan Unilever (Champion), Diageo, WPP India, Publicis Groupe, Havas Group, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), The Advertising Club, and Samhita Social Ventures.
Speaking about the significance of the launch, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director, UN Women, said. “It shows that the India advertising and media industry is coming together in all its strength and diversity to tackle the harmful stereotypes that hinder progress towards gender equality. This is critical to addressing the drivers of inequality such as violence against women and girls, intergenerational poverty and the lack of women in leadership and decision-making roles.”
The chapter has defined strategic priorities to address gender stereotypes with a focus on harmful patriarchal traditions and norms to broaden the representation of empowered and autonomous women in private and public life, including in business leadership; and to ensure progressive representation in media and advertising.
Priya Nair, Executive Director, beauty and personal care, Hindustan Unilever, said. “Various organizations need to come together to bring about this systematic change and set new standards of empowerment and equality. As a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance, we look forward to supporting UN Women, to drive social change, encourage action, and put an end to gender stereotypes and discrimination.”
