The Don't Be a Man project is an ongoing, long-term initiative where I collaborate with a large team, leading the design direction to support its ambitious mission and evolving impact.
For the past two years, I have been working as a graphic designer and art director on a project for the HeForShe division of the United Nations, dedicated to promoting gender equality in Central Asia. The initiative was created to engage the public in meaningful conversations about equality, with a particular focus on reaching men.
In patriarchal societies like Central Asia, men often hold greater influence, making it essential to address them directly in discussions about gender equality. With this in mind, we developed the "Don’t Be a Man" campaign, challenging traditional stereotypes and encouraging men to redefine masculinity in a way that supports equality. Below is a deeper look into our campaign concept.
The Challenge
The key challenge in this project was finding a way to communicate effectively with men, capturing their attention without triggering resistance or misinterpretation—especially among those who fear losing traditional societal values. Our goal was to engage in a conversation that resonates rather than alienates.
Our Goal for 2025
This year, we are expanding the campaign by launching new initiatives:
A comic book addressing harmful stereotypes and encouraging men to rethink outdated gender roles.
A podcast where men speak to men about gender equality, redefining masculinity in Central Asia, and discussing what it means to be a man in the 21st century.
We are receiving tremendous engagement from our audience, with thousands of likes, comments, and discussions, showing that we are successfully speaking their language and delivering our message.
My Role as a Designer & Art Director
This project has been a significant challenge and achievement for me. Balancing global branding guidelines with local cultural nuances, I developed a localized design system for social media managers, designers, and video production teams across five countries—each with its own language and unique alphabet. The most complex part was ensuring the visual and narrative consistency across these diverse regions while maintaining cultural sensitivity and impact.
Results & Ambitions
We are ambitious and continue striving for greater social impact and design excellence. Beyond transforming perspectives in society, we aim to achieve further international recognition for the campaign's creative and strategic success.
We submitted the "Don’t Be a Man" campaign for various international awards and continue to receive nominations and accolades. Here are some of the recognitions we’ve achieved so far:
1. Epica Awards – Silver Award in the Public Interest – Gender Equity category for the "Don’t Be a Man" project. (Issued December 2024)
2. Jolbors Festival Awards – Recognition for "Don’t Be a Man" and "Do Not Forget Your Way Home". (Issued September 2024)
3. White Square Creative Festival – Silver Award in the Gender Equality category for the HeForShe project with UN Women. (Issued June 2024)
Our campaign continues to make an impact, gaining international recognition for its contribution to the conversation on gender equality.
I am incredibly grateful to the entire team for their contributions:
CEO – Tidam: Ainura Umaeva
Creative Director: Denis Eliseev
Experts: Maya Akisheva, Madi Mambetov, Natalya Sludskaya
Operations Director: Natalya Shorokhova
Account Manager: Tomiris Subbotina
Marketing Manager: Albina Agapova
UN Women Manager: Assem Satmukhambetova
Director: Radik Eshimov
Creative Copywriting: Assel Iskuzhayeva
Designer: Assem Kiyalova
Thank you all for your incredible work!