UN Women Australia has launched #EmpowerMoves a self-defence TikTok dance that invites girls to celebrate International Day of the Girl, via The Monkeys.
This week girls across the country have been recreating the #EmpowerMoves TikTok dance. But what appears to be just another TikTok dance, is in fact a carefully choreographed sequence of basic self-defence actions, creating a movement through which girls can show their strength and support for a future that is safe, equal and empowered.
The powerful dance sequence, personalised by girls around the country, has been echoed by celebrities, and people across the world, including activist Grace Tame and influencer Suzan Mutesi. The idea behind the dance is for girls to promote hope and fun, all while spreading an important message.
@suzan_mutesi @Karla Mura #Empowermoves #power #fyp
It brings together the music of Australian singer-songwriter Wafia, the contagious movement of choreographer and entrepreneur Karla Mura, with the direction of She Fights Back, to create a series of basic self-defence movements.
#EmpowerMoves invites girls to celebrate International Day of the Girl by coming together on TikTok to show their voice in support of a strong and equal future for themselves. #EmpowerMoves comes after UN Women Australia launched the campaign “When Will She Be Right?” in early 2021, asking Australians to agitate and accelerate progress on gender equality.
The aim of #EmpowerMoves is to give Australian girls an opportunity to show support for that cause, through a platform and message that is relevant to them. #EmpowerMoves was created by The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive, with support from TikTok, UM and Edelman.
@unwomenaust #EmpowerMoves is the dance that’s also self-defence. Join the movement today. #UNWomenAust @Karla Mura
UN Women Australia, chief executive officer, Simone Clarke said: “The challenges girls face are unrelenting, some we could have never imagined, but they are resilient and deserve to celebrate their strength.
“When the world is safe and equal for girls – we will dance for joy. Until then, girls can dance to be fierce, dance to be powerful, and dance to show their voice for the equality they deserve.”
Chief creative officer of The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive, Tara Ford, said “#EmpowerMoves is designed to be both uplifting and thought-provoking.
“And while the combination of dance and self-defence is by no means a solution to the wider problem, it’s the beginning of an important cultural conversation for girls. A positive step towards not only personal confidence, but a greater awareness of the larger societal issue many girls and women face every day.
Sunita Gloster, industry commentator and advisor to the UN Women Australia, said: “#EmpowerMoves invites girls to have some fun and create a movement and conversation about gender equality. It’s their language and their message, on a platform they live on.
“An equal future needs the voices of our girls and young women to be heard and heralded now. We have seen how potent this generation is at driving change.”
The campaign is generously supported by donated media from partners including Seven Network, Nine Network, Network 10, Google, Mamamia, NOVA Entertainment, Southern Cross Austereo and oOh!media.
To find out more about it or support UN Women Australia, please visit https://unwomen.org.au/.
To support #EmpowerMoves, UN Women Australia encourages using the tags #EmpowerMoves and #Dayofthegirl.
