The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have supported calls for advertisers to ditch ‘outdated’ gender stereotypes in order to dispel misconceptions around caregiving roles.
Both royals have backed the findings of a report by US charity Equimundo, which is looking to end the care-giving equality gap and is targeting advertisers to take the first cultural step.
Its 2023 ‘World Father Report” surveyed close to 12,000 people across 17 countries about care in the household and concluded that: “Media should break down gender stereotypes and show men doing cooking and cleaning and women doing tasks like mowing the lawn or fixing the sink.”
The report’s creation was strongly supported by Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Foundation, a non-profit organisation set up by the couple in October 2020 to oversee their post-working royal activities.
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On the report, an Archewell Foundation spokesperon said: “The 2023 data shows that men are increasingly involved in caregiving and would like to increase their care work at home, although deeply ingrained social norms and a lack of supportive policies and power structures discourage them from doing so.
“The report recognises care work as the bedrock of society, and calls for continued advancements towards gender equality. It also emphasises the need for media representation that normalises men’s caregiving roles.”
Concluding, they said: “The Archewell Foundation is proud to have supported this report, as well as Equimundo’s continued work to promote gender equality around the globe.”
