Whistling Woods International, Laadli & UNFPA join hands to encourage families to strike a balance and #ShareTheChores | The video composed and narrated by ace filmmaker Subhash Ghai is part of a wider awareness campaign against domestic abuse

Mumbai, April 28th, 2020: Whistling Woods International (WWI) has always taken pride in fostering a culture of social responsibility amongst its faculty and students. As Asia’s premier Film, Communication, and Creative Arts institute, WWI is committed to giving back to society and building a better tomorrow for the future generation. In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing lockdown of our nation, WWI has partnered with Laadli, a girl child initiative of Population First and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to promote the cause of gender equality in house hold chores.

In support of this noble cause, the students and faculty of WWI have created a poignant video to highlight the plight of women across the country. With their families confined to the house, women are now forced to carry an even heavier burden – that of running their households while also silently absorbing the pressure and stress of the situation. This video encourages the entire family to strike a balance, extend their support, and #ShareTheChores.

Commenting on the initiative, Meghna Ghai Puri, President of WWI, said, “Gender equality is always of paramount importance, but it has become even more vital during this lockdown. WWI is extremely proud of its students and faculty for partnering with Laadli and UNFPA to spread this message, and we encourage every family to share their household responsibilities equally.”

The centrepiece of the animated video is a stirring voiceover of a poem, composed and narrated by WWI Founder and Chairman, Subhash Ghai. Featuring women from every walk of life, it depicts them single-handedly running their households and caring for their families. As it draws to a close, it leaves us with a powerful question – “What is our excuse for not sharing the chores?”

Dr. A.L.Sharada, Director, Population First, said, "Whistling Woods International has been always been open to mainstream gender into its activity. At this very crucial time of Lock down they are lending their full support  beseeching people to share the chores at home through this thought provoking film. A big thank you to WWI. We expect more and more institutions to join us in this endeavour. The video is part of a wider awareness campaign against domestic abuse. Since the start of the lockdown, women's helplines have been witnessing a drastic spike in the volume of calls received regarding domestic violence. Through this initiative, Laadli and UNFPA  hope to draw attention to this issue and encourage families to come together during this time of crisis.

Ms. Argentina Matavel Piccin, Country Representative UNFPA India, reiterates the importance of sharing household chores says, “Gender equality begins at home with us. It is never too late to correct the imbalance. Let's share household chores, respect and treat women and girls as we would men and boys”

As a thought leader on corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the media and entertainment education domain, WWI has been at the forefront of several key movements and causes. These efforts have fostered an atmosphere of social awareness, responsibilty and caring amongst the staff and students of WWI, and seen them contribute their time and expertise towards the betterment of the nation and the world.