#UnitedByHalf: Benetton launches gender equality campaign in India

London - Gender equality may not be a right most fashion brands strive for, but women empowerment and equality is definitely a priority for Italian fashion label United Colors of Benetton. On International Women's Day, taking place on March 8, the retailer is set to launch its latest campaign which is aimed at promoting gender equality in one of its leading global markets, India.

Under the label #UnitedByHalf, United Colors Benetton new campaign looks to challenge social issues in India concerning the role of women. The campaign aims to give a wider voice to the social concerns faced by women across India, ranging from how they are expected to behave in relationships, to education and equal rights. First launched in India on Valentine's Day, the campaign has attracted support from leading celebrities and influencers across India. Now, as United Colors of Benetton takes its campaign globally, the fashion retailer seeks to encourage its consumers support the empowerment of women.

United Colors of Benetton supports gender equality in latest campaign: #UnitedByHalf

The new campaign, which includes a short film that depicts men and women as equal partners, strives to tackle the deep rooted social taboos still prevailed in India and other developing markets that see women less than men. As India is the United Colors of Benetton largest market for menswear outside of Italy, the Benetton Group choose to focus its latest initiative under its Women Empowerment Program in the country and targets men in its campaign, persuading them to see women as equal partners while highlighting the need for genuine equality.

"We’re proud to be working on direct projects to improve the lives of women in developing countries but, with a major presence in India, we want to do more," said Chiara Mio, leader of the Benetton's Group Sustainability Program and its Women Empowerment initiatives. "This new campaign takes our message of women empowerment directly into one of our biggest global markets, notably for menswear." Promoting gender equality and women's safety is also one of the key elements of the Benetton's Group global sustainability roadmap. It's Women Empowerment Progam is a long-term project which focuses on supporting and fighting for the empowerment of women worldwide.

In order to support women empowerment in India even further, Benetton has also launched a website where the public can pledge its support for gender equality and share their stories of discrimination they've faced, or others have faced, because of their gender. "Women’s safety and gender equality issue has always been very close to our hearts and we promote them through the Benetton Women Empowerment Program, a long-term initiative to support women's rights worldwide," said Sundeep Chugh, CEO and Managing Director of Benetton India in a statement.

"#UnitedByHalf is not only a call for equal opportunities for women in all walks of life but it also urges men to acknowledge the other half of the country or rather the world and accept them as equal partners. We have successfully launched the first phase of the campaign and believe the campaign has touched the lives of many. We continue to build momentum on this Women’s Day and celebrate women and men as equal partners."

Campaign Credits: Creative Agency – Creativeland Asia

Production House – Oink Films

Still Shoot Photographer – Suresh Natrajan