P&G and Sesame workshop partner to promote gender equality

 

Procter & Gamble (P&G), a renowned global manufacturer of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), has partnered with Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind hit kids program, Sesame Street, to produce a new television program which will explore issues of gender equity in child-relevant ways, with girls and boys role-playing different careers and family roles. This aims to teach girls and boys alike that they can aspire to be anything they want to be. The new content will be made available to Sesame Street co-productions around the world including Nigeria.
The announcement was made during the Global Citizen: Movement Makers Summit in New York City where a new advocacy video featuring Sesame Street Muppets and children from around the world sharing their aspirations for the future and why they love to learn was premiered. The video promotes the value of education and career opportunities for girls, and will run on digital, social, and broadcast platforms worldwide.
While speaking about the partnership, Carolyn Tastad, P&G Group President, North America said, “Sesame and P&G have a shared commitment to eliminating gender-biased barriers in child education. The zeal of both organizations in promoting gender equality and diversity through its programming, and the impact their content has on social norms and attitudes is undeniable. We are proud to collaborate with Sesame Workshop to spark conversations that will catalyse change. We want to set a new expectation that values child education so that boys and girls worldwide can reach their full potential.”
In the words of the Executive Vice President for Global Impact at Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin, “Gender equity is a core element of Sesame Workshop’s global productions. Our international girl Muppets are powerful role models for young girls, helping them envision possibilities they may not have dreamed possible. We’re thrilled to build on our long-time partnership with P&G to advance our shared commitment to investing in girls and helping all children dream big globally.”
Sesame Workshop is renowned to delivered early education to children across gender lines and socio-economic classes in more than 150 countries. Sesame also addresses the role boys and men can play in creating change, breaking down gender stereotypes, and fostering the belief that girls and boys have equal rights and responsibilities.
P&G aspires to create a better world for everyone — a world free of gender bias with equal representation and an equal voice for women and men and has been championing the cause of gender equality through its Citizenship activities, leveraging on its business and operations scale. The company is doing this through its brand and corporate programs and policy advocacy efforts. For example, P&G’s Always School program, provides puberty education and free sanitary pads to girls in primary schools to help address the issue of absenteeism. The program reaches one million girls annually.