New Delhi: The Centre for Equity and Inclusion (CEQUIN) launched its new social media campaign, ‘Kick-Start Equality’ today, supported by the Development Aid Programme, Government of Australia.

The campaign has been created and is being led by a select group of student leaders  from 10 of Delhi’s most prestigious schools, namely, Apeejay-Saket, Air Force Bal Bharti, Bloom Public School, British School, DPS Dwarka, Modern School- Vasant Vihar, Mother’s International School, Sanskriti School, Springdales-Pusa Road andTagore International School. It aims to spread awareness on the need to address violence against women and girls (VAWG), and the role of sensitised youth in the process. It will culminate in a large-scale event celebrating the importance of gender equality and non-discrimination.

The initiative took off in July, with a series of interactive and thought provoking ‘Agents of change’ workshops, engaging students from the above-mentioned schools, with a view towards sensitising  them on the issue of violence against women and girls and the related themes of gender equality and non-discrimination. During the course of those workshops the students brainstormedand developed creative and innovative suggestions for both the online as well as on-the-ground campaign activities.

Whilst speaking at the launch Sara Pilot ( Co-Founder and Chairperson , CEQUIN ) said, “Kick-start Equality is a new and exciting initiative for CEQUIN. We have always believed in the power of youth as ‘Agents of Change’ and often seek out ways to engage them. This campaign has enabled us to actively foster their passion for helping those less privileged than themselves and helped provide a platform for their creative expression. We hope that this student-led campaign to spread awareness on the importance of non-discrimination and the need for gender equality will be a resounding success.”

CEQUIN has collated those ideas and created a platform for taking the initiative forward. It has crystallized into the ‘Kick-start Equality’ campaign, which was launched today.

A large number of prominent personalities such as Dia Mirza, Virender Sehwag, Amaan and Ayaan Ali, Shobhana Bhartia, Abhinav Bindra, Omar Abdullah, Sachin Pilot, Praful Patel, Nimrat Kaur and others are already on board; to extend their whole hearted support to this student-led campaign for gender equality.

The campaign will conclude with much fanfare at the Australian High Commission grounds, prior to Human Rights Day, to mark the ’16 days of Activism on Violence Against Women’.  In commemoration of the same, the students will prepare Art Installations and also do performances celebrating the theme of equality and non-discrimination.