The GREAT Inititiative - Gender Right & Equality Trust

Mariella speaks to the Mail on Sunday about The GREAT Initiative and the GREAT Boodles Bangle

November 4, 2012  In the Press, News

Follow this link to read Mariella’s most recent interview with the Mail on Sunday where she discusses her views on gender equality, working in the media and the GREAT Initiative’s exciting upcoming campaign in partnership with Boodles: https://bit.ly/Pvr8nq

“She could be forgiven for sitting back and enjoyed the fruits of her labour. Instead, with The Great Initiative, she will be busier than ever. She says: ‘I set it up because I’d just watched one too many news reports about women being raped in the Congo.

‘In many sub-Saharan countries, rape is not considered a crime. It’s at such epidemic levels that in  Liberia there are posters erected along the main highway that say Real Men Don’t Rape.

‘Women are being culturally disregarded and for a long time we’ve been very liberal about it and said, you know that’s African culture, that’s the way things are. But actually this is about basic human rights. Too many women are not being given their dignity as human beings. And it’s not just Africa. Domestic violence is the biggest cause of death among women in the world, bigger than malaria, cancer,  anything. Two-thirds of the world’s illiterate are women.

‘The idea that we’ve changed the world and it has a woman-sized space in it is erroneous.’

The foundation works on several different levels. Mariella has collaborated with society jewellers Boodles to create a delicate silver bangle which she is launching next week and which she hopes will became an iconic symbol of female friendship. All of the profits will go to help women in Africa.

The bangle has already been  spotted on the arms of a diverse range of women from Tracey Emin to Jo Brand to the Duchess of York.

Mariella says: ‘To be honest, it’s my female friendships that have kept me absolutely afloat.

‘I don’t meant that to disregard my husband who I love very much but when times are tough, it’s my girlfriends who have always carried me through.“