Ali Xeeshan and BBDO Pakistan’s Veil of Care Challenges Stigma Around Breast Cancer in Pakistan
By Owen Hill on Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Fashion Designer Ali Xeeshan and BBDO Pakistan have joined forces to tackle the stigma around breast cancer in Pakistan, where it’s estimated that 1 in 9 women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. This is suggested to be as a result of the stigma associated with women’s breasts in Pakistan, where women will hesitate to get their breasts checked, or even self-check, generating a major hurdle in the way of early diagnoses.
The dupatta, or veil, is traditionally used in South Asia to guard a woman’s modesty by covering her breasts, hence the name “Veil of Care”, which serves a purpose to drive home the message that women’s health doesn’t compromise on their modesty. Ali Xeeshan has said on the issue: “In South Asia, the dupatta is a symbol of modesty and to protect this modesty, women often hesitate to check themselves. So, I designed a new kind of veil that not only serves the purpose of guarding women’s modesty but also gives them a reminder that they should take care of their health too“.
Clothing brand GENERATION has now launched a version of the dupatta to ensure it is more easily accessible to all women in Pakistan, which also comes with a short booklet teaching women how to self-check for signs of breast cancer.
“As a womenswear brand, women’s health issues have always been very close to our heart. Although we have been conducting annual Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns for many years, this year we decided to take our commitment a step ahead. We’ve joined hands with Ali Xeeshan to bring you a one-of-a-kind Dupatta for which we’ll be donating all profits to the Shaukat Khanum Hospital.” says Khadiji Rahman, Creative Director at GENERATION.
The dupatta is available here, dependent on restock.
