Luxury skincare brand Clé de Peau Beauté has made a huge pledge to help disadvantaged girls around the world have a better start in life.
The company, based in Tokyo, has announced that it will donate $8.7 million to UNICEF’s Gender Equality Programme—and a percentage of sales of its product, The Serum, to UNICEF’s Girl Empowerment Programme.
These two pledges—making the partnership the largest between a private company and UNICEF for gender equality—will be focused on helping girls in Bangladesh, Kyrgysztan and the Niger access education and employment initiatives.
The United Nations estimates that around 6.5 million girls could benefit.
“While there has been significant progress in primary school enrollment for girls, too many of them are denied the opportunity to advance to secondary school,” said Henriettta Fore, UNICEF executive director, in a statement.
“Early marriage, poverty, discrimination and gender bias are some of the barriers that girls have to overcome to pursue their education. With the support of partners like Clé de Peau Beauté, we can help address these barriers,” she continued.
While one in four adolescent girls aged 15-19 are excluded from education, training or gainful employment, it’s only 1 in 10 for boys.
Similarly, only 86 girls complete lower secondary education in sub-Saharan Africa for every 100 boys.
“At Clé de Peau Beauté, we believe that the key to a brighter tomorrow is to unlock the potential of girls,” added Yukari Suzuki, the company’s chief brand officer.
“Together, we aim to empower our people in taking a proactive stance with this program to make a tangible, positive difference in the world.”
The donation announcement follows the launch of the luxury brand’s Power of Radiance Award in March 2019, recognising inspirational women around the world who fight for female education. The inaugural prize was given to 19-year-old Syrian refugee and education activist Muzoon Almellahan—the first individual with refugee status to become a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.