Accra, Oct. 24, GNA – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Prada Group have introduced a distinctive training programme for participants with knowledge and special skills in the fashion industry to promote gender equality in a unique and innovative way.
The pilot programme dubbed: “Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears”, aims to leverage the social and economic power of fashion as a vehicle to promote women’s empowerment and sexual and reproductive health in a six-month training programme for young women in Ghana and Kenya.
The programme, according to a statement from the UNFPA copied to the Ghana News Agency, would equip 45 participants with knowledge and practical skills relevant for the fashion industry and facilitate internships with local fashion companies to establish long-term work opportunities for them.
The training pilot launched in May 2022 with two cohorts in Ghana and Kenya also seeks to foster a deeper understanding of sexual and reproductive rights and reduce participants’ vulnerability to gendered inequalities and harmful practices.
The statement explained that UNFPA and Prada Group formally entered into a partnership in 2021 and had been developing the training programme in collaboration with local partners like International Needs (Ghana) and County Government of Kitui and the Kitui County Textile Centre (Kenya).
Madam Mariarosa Cutillo, Chief of Strategic Partnerships, UNFPA, said: “UNFPA is working with creative industries to find innovative ways to support young women from ‘left behind’ communities to access their rights and choices in order to unlock their full potential.
“Fashion is a powerful platform to provide long-term, sustainable education and development opportunities across the world.
“We are proud to launch our partnership with Prada Group and its people through this
impactful programme that focuses on women’s economic inclusion, pushes boundaries for
sustainable development solutions, and acts as a springboard for further collaboration in the years to come,” she said.
Mr Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Marketing Director & Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, said: “This training programme reflects Prada Group’s belief in fashion as a force for good.
“We are honoured to partner with UNFPA on this unique project to leverage the social and economic power of our industry to create more inclusive and equal societies.”
Madam Malika Savell, Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer, Prada Group, The Americas said: “We are excited to continue deepening our partnership with UNFPA to mentor and empower the next generation of female artists through the ‘Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears’ project.”
She said it was a privilege for Prada Group to play a role in expanding the opportunities available to aspiring young designers from around the world.
Through this programme, the statement said 30 young women in Ghana and 15 in Kenya were gaining valuable experience and knowledge in a number of areas, including fashion design and production, with a focus on local traditions and styles, re/upcycled fashion, traditional textile design, and financial literacy, including bookkeeping, budgeting and business management.
The programme also provided comprehensive educational sessions in sexual and reproductive
health, covering topics such as menstrual health management, puberty and prevention of teenage
pregnancies.
Participants, the statement said, received training in the prevention of and response to gender-
based violence, and how to combat harmful
practices, including female genital mutilation and child marriages.
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
Prada Group is a pioneer of a dialogue with contemporary society across diverse cultural spheres and an influential leader in luxury fashion. It owns some of the world’s
most prestigious luxury brands, Prada, Miu Miu, Church’s, Car Shoe, the historic Pasticceria Marchesi and Luna Rossa.
GNA