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Last Updated: 2013.06.17

Fast Retailing Supports the Empowerment of Women in Bangladesh Donates to Asian University for Women, and Launches Girls' Soccer Project

FAST RETAILING CO., LTD.
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Tokyo, Japan; June 17, 2013 -- Fast Retailing Co., Ltd. today announces plans to empower women and challenge gender inequality in Bangladesh through two new initiatives - a US $1 million donation to the Asian University for Women, and a project to support girls' soccer. Through the initiatives, Fast Retailing aims to empower the next generation of Bangladeshi women, to help them to fully realize their talents and play an active role in society.

For the Asian University for Women, Fast Retailing is establishing a donor program to provide US $1 million in financial support over five-years to the institute, allowing motivated women the opportunity to develop and play an active role in society. Located in Chittagong, Bangladesh, the Asian University for Women is Asia's only international school dedicated to cultivating successive generations of female leaders. Many of the students are the first female in their family to attend university, and approximately 60% are on full scholarships.

For the girls' soccer project, Fast Retailing is partnering with the NGO Plan Japan to provide training in soccer, leadership, and gender equality and women's rights and health, as well as to support the organization of soccer tournaments across Bangladesh. Participants are also provided with UNIQLO clothing for training. Through this, Fast Retailing aims to help Bangladeshi girls gain the confidence to assert themselves. As many as 1,200 girls between the ages of 10 and 15 are eligible to participate, representing 64 teams of 18 players each. The project is planned across all seven of Bangladesh's administrative divisions (Dhaka, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet and Chittagong), for a three year period. The girls' soccer project falls under Fast Retailings' Clothes for Smiles (http://clothesforsmiles.uniqlo.com/), with world's top-ranked men's professional tennis player and UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador Novak Djokovic.

 

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