Farhan becomes the goodwill brand ambassador for UN’s initiative -‘ HeForShe ‘
Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD), is a social initiative designed to create awareness and to instill gender equality and respect towards women. The Nirbhaya incident was a rude shock for the entire country.
Farhan started the MARD campaign in India after the incident. He was keen to spread awareness and knowledge amongst people and believed that an idea had to be planted which would bring about a larger change.
MARD has been asking men to rethink their value system. To think about what are the various characteristics and traits that makes one a man.The initiative gained momentum and he was applauded and supported by various personalities.
The word of his initiative travelled overseas and the United Nations has now reached out to Farhan to join their campaign as the South Asia Goodwill Ambassador. Infact, Farhan is the first man to be chosen as the Goodwill Ambassador in the organization’s history.
The campaign is to reach out, spread the work and call upon men and boys to join the UN Women’s HeForShe initiative, and mobilize for gender equality. HeForShe is a global movement which calls upon men and boys to stand up against the persisting inequalities faced by women and girls. Farhan will be the South Asia ambassador.
Says Farhan “I am honoured to serve UN Women as the Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia. This gives me and our MARD initiative an added impetus to work together towards a more gender equal India and world. I am a supporter of UN Women’s HeForShe campaign and the role men and boys can play in stopping crime against women and girls and working towards gender equality. Through this new partnership I want to call on all the men and boys to be a catalyst for change and through our actions create a value system to end gender disparity”
Mard plans for global outreach and will continue to address gender equality issues across the world and in India, Anurag Rao, Co- Founder and Director- Artist Innovations & Repertoire for MARD says “ MARD will work with content makers around the world in a pledge to engage hearts and minds through art & music for a more gender equal world. The Association with UN women is a strong indicator that we are walking the right path. We will put in our best efforts to accomplish what we started- to end gender inequality