KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — Skincare and makeup brand Clé de Peau Beauté and Unicef announced a three-year extension of their partnership to address gender inequality with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, employment and empowerment programmes for girls.

The two partners have worked together since 2019, with the partnership supporting Unicef’s work to tackle the root causes of gender inequality.

This extension aims to reach 5.7 million more girls around the world over the next three years, providing the tools and resources they need to develop their skills and fulfil their potential.

This represents nearly half of Unicef’s overall aim to help unlock the potential of 11.5 million girls through its Skills4Girls programme in more than 30 countries globally by 2025.

Progress in this area is more important than ever as the world emerges into the post-Covid-19 era, which saw a disproportionate number of young women disadvantaged and left behind in these crucial fields.

To fund their combined efforts, Clé de Peau Beauté has pledged US$8.7 million (RM40.1 million) to support Unicef’s Gender Equality Program, the world's largest private sector contribution to this area, specifically to the Skills4Girls programme.

This programme develops girls’ skills in areas such as STEM, digital technologies and social entrepreneurship in addition to life skills such as problem-solving, negotiation, self-esteem and communication.

It also helps to create more equitable access to STEM opportunities and improve representation and leadership of women within the STEM disciplines around the world.

To date, the Clé de Peau Beauté and Unicef partnership has benefited more than 3.5 million girls.

"We believe that the key to a better world lies in unlocking the potential of girls through education. This belief serves as the foundation of our long-term philanthropic commitment, as well as the reason why we have partnered with Unicef," said Clé de Peau Beauté Chief Brand Officer, Mizuki Hashimoto.

"By continuing this crucial work for the next three years, we aim to continue driving positive change by empowering girls all over the world. Each of us has a role to play in realising this shared vision, and by working together, we can create a better future," he added.

The extension of Clé de Peau Beauté’s partnership with Unicef is funded through the brand’s Cause-Related Marketing Campaign, where US$3 (RM13.70) from every purchase of The Serum, one of the brand’s most iconic products, will be donated to support Unicef’s programmes around the world.

More information can be found on the initiative's website here.