New Delhi – CEQUIN (Centre for Equity and Inclusion) is excited to launch its latest initiative, the ‘Mardon Wali Baat – Unlearnt & Rescripted’ digital campaign with Micro-Influencers. This groundbreaking year-long effort is dedicated to empowering grassroots youth micro-influencers as advocates for gender equality, with support from Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies. The campaign aims to challenge and redefine masculinity beyond aggression while engaging young men and boys in pivotal conversations about gender equity.
In an era where violent masculinity, amplified by digital platforms and cultural norms, continues to influence perceptions, CEQUIN seeks to resist these harmful narratives by harnessing the power of influencers. While traditional efforts on gender have limited themselves to women and girls, this campaign will highlight the hopes, dreams, contradictions, and anxieties in new age masculinity. It will offer alternative, positive models of masculinity through relatable, socially responsible content.
Campaign Highlights
- A Year-Long Leadership Journey Forty-six young male micro-influencers, aged 18-30, from diverse sectors such as lifestyle, entertainment, fitness, and travel, were selected from Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Haryana, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. These influencers, with followers ranging from 9,000 to 100,000, were capacitated with advocacy tools to develop gender-sensitive, socially impactful content for digital media.
- Capacity Building for Social Change Participants attended a Residential Retreat in August, where they were trained by experts from media, cinema, gender, wellness, marketing and the social sector. The training equipped them with skills to create innovative visual narratives that challenge toxic masculinity and promote gender equality, fostering leadership and advocacy within their communities.
- Digital Campaign Rollout Over the coming year, these influencers will produce creative audio-visual content designed to confront and dismantle gender stereotypes. Their work will target audiences in cities, reaching other men and boys.
- Impact-Driven Initiative The campaign’s success will be evaluated through outreach metrics, digital engagement, and the personal growth of the influencers. These individuals will be instrumental in spreading positive, gender-equitable messages within their circles and beyond.
Sara Abdullah Pilot, Co-Founder & Chairperson, CEQUIN, remarked: “Gender equality transcends gender lines; it’s a universal issue. Engaging young men as allies is crucial for dismantling harmful gender norms and fostering a future where everyone can thrive. This campaign aims to empower influencers to drive positive change and promote a more balanced narrative of masculinity.”
Lora Prabhu, Co-Founder & Managing Director, CEQUIN, added: ” With increasing instances of gender-based violence it’s critical to have conversations about patriarchy because gender inequity negatively impacts men & boys also. It’s important to create spaces for them to address these harmful gender norms so that they can grow into empathetic, responsible leaders.
Natasha Joshi, Associate Director, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, said, “The involvement of men and boys in challenging harmful gender norms is critical for societal advancement. We at the foundation are happy to support CEQUIN in this innovative initiative, reshaping communities towards true equality.”
