Created in 2017, Women@Dior is a unique international mentoring & educational program that has coached and helped blossom thousands of young women all over the world. The program is a unique occasion to learn what is not taught: self-confidence and to dare for your career destiny. The participants are selected from various business, engineering, art and fashion schools spanning across almost 58 different countries such as France, China, Nigeria, Kenya, Costa Rica, Brazil, Iran and Bangladesh just to name a few. Through the educational program, they are trained by inspiring leaders and guest speakers on several themes such as gender equality and women’s leadership for a sustainable future. The Mentees will be guided by their Dior Mentors as they take their first steps in their careers and whilst they build their professional experience.
Each Mentee/Mentor duo shares an exclusive relationship and are matched through an innovative approach based on their compatibility.
The program is built on 5 core values :
Following the coursework, participants are invited to put what they have learnt into practice by creating a project that supports the empowerment of young girls - the “Dream for Change” project.
Dior joined UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition in 2020 on World Youth Skills Day, becoming the first couture House to do so, by opening its Women@Dior program to over 200 talented young female students from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Jamaica, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. It is a concrete commitment to give disadvantaged young women around the world the opportunity to receive an education, which is of utmost importance when taking into account society’s stakes and the global health crisis.
“Talent is universal, but opportunity is not, especially for a generation of young women whose education has been severely affected by the pandemic. By joining the Global Coalition with an initiative that empowers and carries promise for the future, the Dior Couture House is sending a strong message of commitment and confidence, giving young women from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to fulfill their dreams”
Stefania Giannini, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education
On 8 March 2023, the House of Dior and UNESCO hosted the latest edition of the UNESCO & Women@Dior Global Conference. The event celebrated themes such as education, equal opportunities, inclusion, and gender equality – priorities at the heart of the Women@Dior mentorship and educational program initiated by Emmanuelle Favre, SVP of Human Resources at Christian Dior Couture.
The unique gathering took place at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris to spotlight and develop the power of sisterhood. Mentees and Mentors, leaders from the LVMH Group, the House of Dior and UNESCO, spoke alongside inspiring public figures and those working for women’s rights in the business and art worlds, such as Mina Kavani, Franco-Iranian actress, and Hafsat Abiola, President of the Women in Africa organization.
At the end of this special occasion, an exceptional jury, chaired by Maria Grazia Chiuri, and accompanied by the expert eye of Loïc Prigent, selected the winners of the Dream for Change Project, for which five teams of Mentees proposed their concrete projects in favor of the independence of girls in their local communities.
Paced by the musical performances of the duo Ibeyi, this event can be experienced through a dedicated video series right here and on the Christian Dior Couture LinkedIn page.
Discover the preparations & behind-the-scenes of this unique event in the first episode of the UNESCO & Women@Dior 2023 Global Conference video series, hosted by Women@Dior Mentee Bagdat Akbiyeva from Kazakhstan.
Now, discover Episode 2 of the UNESCO & Women@Dior 2023 Global Conference video series, hosted by Women@Dior Mentee Olivia Meyer from the USA. Olivia will take you to (re)experience the first half of the morning ceremony of this unique event celebrating gender equality and women’s empowerment.
In this third episode, hosted by Women@Dior Mentee Hiba Allate from France, (re)experience the inspiring guests who shared their visions on gender equality and women's empowerment at the UNESCO & Women@Dior 2023 Global Conference.
Discover Episode 4 featuring the Dream For Change celebrations presented onstage by this edition’s finalists: Assel Altayeva from Kazakhstan, Nora Boudghène from France, Happy Itros Sanga from Tanzania, Jasmine Love from the USA, and Amah Mbatsogo from France. Follow last year’s Dream For Change finalist and Women@Dior Mentee, Cwenga Koyana, from South Africa, as she takes you through the celebrations and encourages her fellow Women@Dior sisters who are actively supporting the emancipation of young women in their local communities.
Finally, dive into the final episode of the UNESCO & Women@Dior 2023 Global Conference to be immersed into the key moments of this unique gathering dedicated to spreading the power of sisterhood around the world.
“The UNESCO & Women@Dior mentorship and education program has been a life-changing experience that has unleashed my human potential to bring a positive impact to the lives of teen mothers in Africa. I deeply appreciate and value how the program is a unique opportunity to bring together young women from all walks of life to inspire them to become the leaders of tomorrow and reach for greater heights. The program has ignited something special within me, a light which I am using to spread love and hope to all my sisters across the world.”
– Cwenga Koyana, South Africa, W@D Mentee, Class of 2022
“From start to finish, the UNESCO & Women@Dior Global Conference spurred creativity, community, and courage. I truly cherished the opportunity to be surrounded by so many talented women who share a passion for uplifting the next generation of changemakers. It was fulfilling to celebrate the value of women and see how the fruits of our ambition can generate positive change in society and transform lives around the world.”
– Olivia Meyer, USA, W@D Mentee, Class of 2023
“My Women@Dior journey has been an amazing self-discovery process to understand my talents and strengths, as well as to learn how to face my fears. I had the fear of initiating something from scratch but, with this program, I was able to start and lead a project, named Green Craft Academy, from scratch with the help of my Mentor and Women@Dior sisters. Each coaching session helped me to re-innovate my leadership skills and supported me in designing and implementing my project that helps young Tanzanian women who are school dropouts to start their eco-responsible businesses. Thank you, Women@Dior, for empowering me.”
- Happy Itros Sanga, Tanzania, W@D Mentee, Class of 2023
“Being part of the UNESCO & Women@Dior program gave me the keys to develop Sisterhood Abroad, my Dream For Change project that I am very passionate about, alongside my career. I have realized that to feel totally accomplished in life, I needed this balance. Today I am happy to be able to participate in the growth and personal development of other young women and to create such a beautiful community where women support each other no matter where they come from. This program has been a wonderful opportunity to inspire and to be inspired by my Mentor, leaders of the House of Dior, my Women@Dior sisters from current and previous promotions, and other committed women who shared their experiences with us all along the program. The UNESCO & Women@Dior program has positively changed my life and the ones of the people we empower with our initiatives!”
– Amah Mbatsogo, France, W@D Mentee, Class of 2023
All participants are selected based on three criteria: talent, ambition and generosity. They are all young women full of promise and potential who are united in the notion that their professional success is related to the sorority.
WE WILL ONLY CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM WOMEN WHO ARE :
If you learned about this opportunity through UNESCO, please state it clearly on your CV and cover letter.
Applications were open for the Class of 2023 – 2024 from Friday 2 December to Wednesday 14 December and are now closed.
Applications are now closed“Women, who have such strong natural instinct, must have understood that I not only dreamed of making them more beautiful, but also happier.”
Monsieur Christian Dior, « Christian Dior and I »