Barbie has revealed its biggest ever partnerships with charities directly impacting girls that will inspire and celebrate role models in efforts to inspire the next generation.
New research from Barbie and Inspiring Girls has also been announced to mark five years of Barbie’s Dream Gap Project, a global mission dedicated to closing the gap by challenging gender stereotypes and helping undo the biases that hold girls back from reaching their full potential.
The new research has found that British girls believe men are more likely than women to be Doctors, Scientists, Police Officers, Pilots, Astronauts and Prime Ministers. 79% of parents of girls aged 5-16 are worried that their daughter will not follow their dreams because they’ve been discouraged or believe it is not for them. 61% of girls feel like they haven’t been taken seriously, with 31% saying that it was because it they are a girl.
“Since 1959, Barbie has been designed to show girls they have choices,” commented Kelly Philip, senior marketing director at Mattel UK. “In a momentous year for Barbie, we are to working with incredible partners who can create real impact for girls strengthening our commitment to closing the Dream Gap.”
Two new flagship partnerships will aim to connect girls with positive role models, empowering digital materials and in-person engaging workshops.
Activity will include International Day of the Girl mentoring at the WOW Girls Festival launch at the London Eye with Barbie’s 2023 role model, Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock; sponsoring The WOW Foundation’s six-month WOW Girls Festival, where a specially created inclusive tour bus will visit locations across the UK and deliver Barbie empathy and friendship workshops alongside a host of other artist-designed activities led by girls; plus role model workshops with global partner Inspiring Girls, digital career content and Barbie brand ambassadors’ participation in Inspiring Girls ‘This Little Girl is Me’ campaign.
Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock commented: “My life was forever altered when I fell in love with space as a child. I am incredibly proud to partner with Barbie enabling me to share my story with children across the world. I hope that they might imagine themselves in careers that can change our planet. Careers like space science, an area where women are unfortunately underrepresented. My hope is that future generations will achieve equality in this field and all others, it is too important to be left to the few.”
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