Every October, as International Day of the Girl comes into focus, we’re reminded that gender equality is not a given. It’s a vision we must work for, believe in, and build – brick by brick, heart by heart. This year, beauty brand Mecca is doing more than marking the day. They’re shaping the future.
In a powerful move rooted in long-term purpose, Mecca has announced a $10 million commitment over the next decade to Co-Impact’s Gender Fund – an initiative dedicated to dismantling the structural barriers that hold women and girls back across Asia, Africa and Latin America. This is about more than funding. It’s about reshaping the systems that shape lives.
At its core, this bold investment speaks to a simple yet profound belief – that beauty is not only skin deep. That it can be a lens for seeing the world differently, a tool for storytelling, a vehicle for change. Through beauty, we can challenge norms, elevate voices, and imagine a more inclusive tomorrow.
Introducing: The Mecca Prize
To coincide with International Day of the Girl (Saturday 11 October), Mecca has also launched The Mecca Prize. This annual award honours those pushing boundaries in the pursuit of gender equality, across disciplines where women’s stories have too often been sidelined.
This year’s inaugural recipients are three extraordinary women whose work is changing not just their industries, but the world.
1. Associate Professor Helen Frazer – Mecca Prize for Healthcare Innovation
A pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence in medicine, Associate Professor Helen Frazer is transforming how we detect breast cancer. As the Founding Director of BRAIx, she’s blending human expertise with cutting-edge technology to deliver faster, more accurate diagnosis. And, ultimately, save lives.
Her vision is one where every woman knows her breast cancer risk, where screening is precise and personalised, and where early detection becomes the norm, not the exception.
“Having clinicians working with AI is a powerful combination,” she says. “We envision a future where many more lives are saved through early, accessible, and equitable care.”
2. Dr Stacy Sims – Mecca Prize for Science and Sport
Dr Stacy Sims is rewriting the rulebook on women’s health and performance. A globally renowned exercise physiologist, she’s challenging outdated science that has long treated women as “small men” in research.
With her Next Gen program, Dr Sims is helping girls understand their unique physiology. Especially during puberty, when so many drop out of sport. By breaking down taboos around periods, hormones, and training, she’s empowering young women to stay active, confident and connected to their bodies.
“As the mother of a soon-to-be teenager, I’m more committed than ever to helping her generation thrive,” she says. “It’s time we gave girls the knowledge – and freedom – to love movement on their own terms.”
3. Katy Hessel – Mecca Prize for Cultural Inquiry
British art historian and best-selling author Katy Hessel is reclaiming women’s voices in the history of art. And, challenging the erasure and overlooking of their contributions.
Now, with the support of the Mecca Prize, she’s turning her attention to beauty itself. Through her work with The Mecca Archive, Katy will explore how makeup, rituals, and aesthetic expression have shaped – and been shaped by – gender across time and cultures. It’s a poetic inquiry into beauty as a cultural force, and one that promises to leave a lasting mark.
“Art and beauty are both ways we tell stories,” says Hessel. “And the more perspectives we include, the richer, more human those stories become.”
Building a Legacy That Lasts
The Mecca Prize is the newest expression of Mecca’s M-POWER initiative, which has already committed more than $25 million globally to uplifting women and girls. But more than the numbers, it’s the stories, the people, and the purpose that shine through.
Through long-term partnerships, powerful storytelling, and a commitment to equity, Mecca is proving that a beauty brand can be both a mirror and a megaphone – reflecting the world as it is, while amplifying the voices that are changing it.
As Mecca Founder and Co-CEO Jo Horgan beautifully puts it, “The Mecca Archive is an invitation to the next generation to help write beauty’s next chapter – so that decades from now, girls can look back and see their stories and experiences reflected there.”