Josh stands #TogetherForEquality to Inspire Inclusion this International Women’s Day

Through the Josh #Nofilter challenge and short videos, the campaign strives to promote equal access to socio-economic opportunities, political, and financial inclusion for women

by Prashant Kapadia/NHN

Bengaluru, March , 2024: Josh, India’s fastest-growing short-video app, has launched the #TogetherForEquality campaign to commemorate International Women’s Day, 2024. The campaign aims to promote the socio-economic, political, and financial inclusion of women in various environments, spanning from homes and workplaces to educational and political institutions.

The #TogetherForEquality campaign features a Filter Challenge – #NoFilter on Josh, offering users an opportunity to actively participate and shed light on instances of exclusion and inspire positive change. #NoFilter invites women to freely express themselves without worrying about being judged as a consequence of regressive social norms. These include not being able to pursue the careers they want due to pressure of early marriage, facing strict curfews and being morally policed on their choice of clothing. The Challenge provides users with a platform to share their authentic life experiences. By engaging in this challenge, users can contribute to sparking meaningful dialogues and also utilise the filter as a medium to amplify their voices on important issues surrounding rights of women and girls. Josh will also feature a short video series in collaboration with Milaan Foundation, and MASH Project Foundation, emphasising actions that one can take within families, educational institutions, workplaces, and public spaces to foster inclusion.

Further to the government’s efforts toward women-centric and women-led development, the campaign offers an opportunity for young individuals to initiate conversations and play a crucial role as advocates for social change. This all-encompassing campaign is crafted to inspire ongoing actions, contributing towards a future with increased inclusivity and equity.

Sunder Venketraman, Head of Content and Creator Ecosystem at Josh said “The #TogetherForEquality campaign represents our concerted effort to address gender disparities and drive meaningful change. As we approach International Women’s Day, we are committed to sharing inspiring stories that challenge societal norms and biases and advocate for positive change. By harnessing the extensive reach of Josh, we aim to amplify voices and foster a collective movement toward true gender equality.”

Rati Misra, Executive Director, Milaan Foundation, said “As we unite to commemorate International Women’s Day, Milaan Foundation proudly champions the cause of adolescent girls, rallying support for inclusion, equity, and justice under the #TogetherForEquality campaign. Together, we highlight the diverse accomplishments of adolescent girls, representing their unique backgrounds and experiences. This campaign holds profound significance as it underscores Milaan’s resolute commitment to breaking down barriers, dispelling stereotypes, and creating a world where every girl and every woman is valued, heard, and empowered, every single day.”

Aashish Beergi, Founder and CEO, MASH Project Foundation and MASH IMPACT, said “This International Women’s Day marks not just a moment of celebration, but a rallying call for unity and action under the campaign #TogetherForEquality. By spotlighting stories of resilience, empowerment, and diversity, we aim to illuminate the path for women everywhere, showcasing the strength and determination that lie within the heart of every struggle and triumph. #TogetherForEquality is not just a campaign; it’s a movement towards creating a society that celebrates diversity, champions women’s rights, and works tirelessly to build an inclusive world for all. Join us in this mission, and together, we can make a difference.”

 This International Women’s Day, join the #TogetherForEquality campaign and the #NoFilter Challenge and be a part of the conversation that sparks positive change. The campaign will be live till 9th of March.

About Josh:Josh, launched in August 2020 by VerSe Innovation, stands as India’s homegrown short-video app. It seamlessly brings together India’s top 1000+ creators, a thriving community of 20,000 managed creators, collaborations with the 10 largest music labels, a staggering 15+ million UGC creators, state-of-the-art content creation tools, captivating entertainment formats, and a formidable user base. Consistently rated as India’s premier short-video app on the Play Store, Josh boasts over 100 million downloads. Presently, Josh retains its position as India’s fastest growing and most engaged short-video app, boasting a remarkable user base of over 153 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs), 74 million Daily Active Users (DAUs), and an average usage time of 23 minutes.

About Milaan Foundation:We are a non-profit, social impact organisation working with and for adolescent girls and young women to impart girls the knowledge, skills, and the social environment needed to pursue their aspirations. We believe in the power of movement building, working closely with the community to challenge the social norms that reinforce gender inequality and to re-write the narratives that shape the day-to-day lives of women and girls, normalising social, economic, and political exclusion.

About MASH Project Foundation:MASH is an award-winning social enterprise which is building an ecosystem for social impact. It works on building communities, developing capacities, and leveraging digital & media platforms for impact communications and campaigns.

Over the years, MASH has built a strong community of diverse stakeholders, including Government agencies & Policymakers, CSOs & NGOs, Corporates, Philanthropic Foundations, Media and Youth organisations. It engages with these partners to advance their impact on communities through it’s curated interventions. MASH was awarded Goalkeepers Global Goals Award by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their work on UN Sustainable Development Goals.