DUBAI, JUNE 27, 2017 - Canadian University Dubai students have started a campaign called #SheforShe, which aims to not only draw attention to the popular global campaign #HeforShe, but also aims to highlight the need for women to support each other in order to achieve their goals for gender equality.
The students, who are both male and female, decided to start the campaign as part of their Media Impact class with Dr. Franziska Apprich. During a class discussion the students realized that there are large gaps when it comes to women helping women achieve their goals.
“There’s a lot of negative energy between women,” explains student Ulla Al-Jabri. “In many ways we put each other down through judgement, competition, nasty comments, and we don’t support each other to achieve our goals. #HeforShe is great, but it we felt that it also needed to encompass women supporting women.”
They started by sending letters of thanks to women they consider to be role models and leaders in supporting other women. These role models include their own mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunts, as well as more high profile women like Queen Rania and Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The students also decorated a scarf with #SheforShe and shared pictures of themselves wearing it to share on social media.
“We decided to use a scarf because it represented traditional values, but also brought in the message of gender equality, and the idea that you can have both,” said student Harshe Gehani. “I liked it so much I decided to take it home.”
To date #HeforShe, which was created by the United Nations, has garnered support from film stars like Emma Watson, and politicians like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and boasts over 1,600,000 followers.
“I hope that the students manage to attract some attention to this campaign,” says Dr. Apprich. “Any kind of call to action to break down negative stereotypes is key to achieving real equality, and pushing a cultural shift towards women helping each other achieve their goals, and supporting each other, will also greatly help in the drive for gender equality.”
Anyone interested in participating in the #SheforShe campaign can promote the hashtag on social media and send thanks and congratulations to women around the world.
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