The International Cricket Council (ICC) and official charity partner UNICEF today released a new online, life skills learning initiative, Criiio 4 Good aimed at promoting gender equity among girls and boys. The program was launched with the Indian Ministry of Education, Government of India and Board of Control for Cricket in India in Ahmedabad.
India vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana delivered the first learning modules to over 1000 school children at Narendra Modi Stadium, the same venue where the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will get underway in just one week’s time.
The groundbreaking entry-level program will have eight sport-for-development modules, themed around gender equity and told through cricket. The modules will raise awareness around gender equity and the importance of creating equal opportunities for every boy and girl in India.
Each animated film part of Criiio 4 Good initiative focuses on a specific life skill, namely, leadership, problem-solving, confidence, decision making, negotiation, empathy, teamwork and goal setting and are visualised through state-of-the-art animation using cricketing examples. In-depth research into local nuances make the films real and relatable.
The initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, who will be promoting the modules to more than 1.5 million schools across India through the Diksha platform, ensuring a legacy beyond the Cricket World Cup. In addition, each of the eight learning modules are available free of charge at criiio.com/criiio4good and can be viewed in English, Hindi and Gujarati.
Present at the launch event in Ahmedabad were Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, Government of India; Dr. Kuberbhai Dindor, Hon’ble Minister of Primary, Secondary & Adult Education | Tribal Development, Government of Gujarat and other state government officials; Jay Shah, Honorary Secretary, Board of Control for Cricket in India; Smriti Mandhana, India vice-captain; Anurag Dahiya, ICC Chief Commercial Officer; Cynthia McCaffrey, Representative, UNICEF India and 1000 children and their teachers.
India vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana said: “I am immensely proud to support the ICC and UNICEF together with Ministry of Education and BCCI on the Criiio 4 Good initiative. The modules are extremely engaging, and they use the power of cricket to talk about essential life skills and gender equity, among girls and boys in a fun, interactive way. Both girls and boys must be equally supported to reach their full potential, in sport and in life. This is an effort to give message out in a simple and engaging manner.”
Union Minister of Education, Government of India, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan said: “Empowerment of women, especially young girls has been the fundamental principles of NEP 2020 under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi Ji. We are glad that through Criiio 4 Good, the power of sports and popularity of cricket is being used as a medium to empower girls and spread awareness about gender equity.”
Honorary Secretary, BCCI, Jay Shah said: “The Cricket World Cup is set to inspire the children of India over the course of the next two months and this initiative is a landmark step towards empowering the youth of our nation. Criiio 4 Good not only promotes the values of cricket but also imparts crucial life skills, including the significance of gender equity. It’s a significant stride towards building a more equitable and enlightened future for our children.”
ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said: “For the last eight years, the ICC and UNICEF have been leveraging the scale of our global cricket events to improve the lives of children and youth around the world. Criiio 4 Good illustrates our continued commitment to fostering positive change through what promises to be the biggest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup ever. We’d also like to thank the Ministry of Education, Government of India for their support in ensuring that this program reaches millions of children across the country and leaves a lasting impact beyond the final ball of the World Cup.”
UNICEF India Representative, Cynthia McCaffrey said: “UNICEF appreciates its partnership with ICC, Ministry of Education and BCCI for promoting gender equity among girls and boys during ICC World Cup 2023. Criiio 4 Good is an innovative way to engage millions of young children and adolescents with the message that both girls and boys must enjoy equal opportunities to realize their rights and fulfil their aspirations. The Cricket World Cup provides an amazing opportunity to reach out to millions with the message that each one of us must be a champion for girls and equal rights for all children.”
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