Publish Date: Mar 11, 2026
This press release was originally published in Japanese, read the original version here.
Every year on March 8, International Women’s Day offers an opportunity for people around the world to reflect on gender equality. In 2026, the global theme is “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” calling on people everywhere to take concrete action toward equality.
To mark this symbolic day, UN Women Japan is hosting the "Unstereotype Exhibition" at the United Nations University Gallery from March 2 to March 31. This exhibition is part of the Unstereotype Alliance’s work, led by UN Women. Its aim is to re-examine "stereotypes"—fixed ideas that are commonplace in daily life and can unknowingly restrict individual choices—and to promote dialogue toward building a society where diverse individualities are respected.
On March 2nd, the first day of the exhibition, an opening ceremony and press conference were held. Many distinguished guests attended the ceremony, including Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Yohei Ohnishi, Senator Rui Matsukawa, and United Nations University President Marwala Chilitsi. The organizers were also joined by young people who will lead the next generation, creating a valuable opportunity for participants across generations to reflect together on the future of gender equality.
In her opening remarks, Nae Yakiya, Director of UN Women Japan, said, "A society where diverse individualities are respected is a society where everyone can live more easily and is a force that moves society as a whole forward. I hope that you will take away new perspectives and insights from the various works in this exhibition and from today's discussions."
The ceremony featured the unveiling of the exhibition's key visual. The artwork, which includes a design of colorful circles alongside the tagline “Let freedom start with me”, was created and provided pro bono by Shiseido Co., Ltd., a member of the Unstereotype Alliance’s Japan National Chapter.
Next, we welcomed comedian Barbie as a special guest. Barbie shared, "It might be scary to break stereotypes, but overcoming them will allow you to jump into an environment where you can live more easily."
The "Unstereotype Exhibition" runs until Tuesday, March 31st 2026. Visitors are encouraged to take this opportunity to pause and reflect on the assumptions that underlie everyday language and expressions, and to gain fresh perspectives and insights.
Event Overview
Dates:
March 2, 2026 (Monday) – March 31, 2026 (Tuesday)
Opening hours:
Weekdays 10:00-17:00
(March 8th only: 10:00-13:00)
Venue:
United Nations University Gallery (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo)
Organizer:
UN Women
Co-organizers:
Unstereotype Alliance Japan Chapter, United Nations University
Partner companies and organizations:
I&S BBDO, IKEA Japan, Shiseido, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, Trenders, Japan Advertisers Association, Japan Down Syndrome Association, Hakuhodo Woman Wellness Program, Plan International, McCann Erickson, Yamaha
For further information, please contact Maiko.Takahashi@unwomen.org
About the Unstereotype Alliance
The Unstereotype Alliance seeks to eradicate harmful stereotypes from advertising and media to help create a more equal world. Convened by UN Women, the Alliance collectively acts to empower people in all their diversity (including gender, race, class, age, ability, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and more) by using advertising as a force for good to drive positive change all over the world. Launched at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2017, the global membership of the Unstereotype Alliance currently stands at 240 companies, with 12 national chapters across five continents that tackle culturally-nuanced stereotypes at a local level.