Comedy for equality: Harnessing the power of laughter for empowerment and peace

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This event will bring together activists and comedians to discuss the ways in which comedy can push forward agendas such as #metoo and contemporary women’s rights movements, and how this effort can translate into meaningful change in women’s lives. The event will also showcase the work of UN Women and Mythos Labs in countering violent extremist recruitment narratives—and their understandings of gender—through comedy.

In early 2018, UN Women partnered with Mythos Labs to produce a series of comedy videos to counter the messaging of terrorist groups in the Asia region. Working with female comedians in South Asia and South-East Asia, these sketches challenge the narratives used by violent extremist groups and counter extremist ideology in the online space. While this work was originally piloted to prevent and counter violent extremism, the implications go far beyond this realm. Comedy can and is being used to promote broader themes of women’s empowerment and gender equality, by not just making us laugh, but by challenging stereotypes with a broad and engaged audience.

This project is part of UN Women’s Empowered Women, Peaceful Communities programme, which is funded by the Government of Japan. This programme works in the Asia Pacific region to challenge the gendered dynamics of violent extremism and reverse its growing trend, through prioritizing women’s rights, empowerment, participation and leadership—in national decision-making and at the community level.