International Women’s Day is naturally a time of reflection for many of us. The depressing statistics on the gender pay gap cause us to interrogate what needs to change for there to be equity for women in 2023 and beyond. We grieve for the fact that one in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime and two women a week are killed by a current or former partner. And we’re understandably enraged that globally, one in four adolescent girls aged 15-19 are neither in education, training nor employment compared to less than one in 10 boys of the same age.

Because we know that when girls do not complete their secondary education, they often lack critical skills, mentors and access to on-the-job training needed to transition to employment. However, Max Factor and UNICEF are leading the charge to change that.

Over the next two years, as part of its Light the Way campaign, Max Factor has announced that it will support UNICEF’s Skills4Girls programme, which helps give young girls the right tools, skills and resources to reach their full potential, and become the next generation of successful leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers. 

Worldwide, Skills4Girls aims to help unlock the potential of 11.5 million girls in more than 30 countries by providing training in areas such as science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), digital technologies and social entrepreneurship. It also educates about life skills, such as problem-solving, negotiation, self-esteem and communication.

This has never been more imperative, as according to research by the World Bank, if every girl received 12 years of quality education, earnings for women globally could increase by $15-30 trillion (£12.6-25 trillion), in turn breaking outdated barriers and enabling all girls to thrive and make their marks in previously male-dominated fields.

“Throughout my time with UNICEF, I have witnessed first-hand the importance of empowering young girls in disadvantaged and marginalised communities and giving them the skills and opportunity to fulfil their dreams,” said UNICEF goodwill ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas, an official supporter of the partnership.

“Showing young people that their ambitions are achievable, and giving them the support to get there, is critical for their future. I’m so proud that Max Factor and UNICEF are joining forces to inspire real change.”

Images: Getty