Mango, one of the world’s leading fashion groups, reaffirms its commitment to education and equal opportunities, with women at the heart of its Social Action strategy, by announcing the start of its collaboration with UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency). Founded in 1950, the agency was created to protect and assist people displaced by conflict, persecution or humanitarian crises, and those without a nationality.
The agreement, recently signed by Toni Ruiz, chairman and CEO of Mango; Francesco Sciacca, Director General of the Spanish Committee for UNHCR and Jorge Olague, director of partnerships with the private sector of UNHCR, marks the start of this collaboration, which will run from 2025 to 2027.
Toni Ruiz, Chairman and CEO of Mango, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration with UNHCR, emphasising the importance of this initiative with the United Nations in providing higher education for refugee women: “Mango aims to generate a positive impact in all the countries in which we operate. Through initiatives like this, we want to empower all women who lack access to higher education and thus facilitate their greater autonomy and development, contributing to a transformative change in their future lives. This is especially relevant to us, given that 8 out of 10 people who work at Mango are women and that they represent 40% of our Executive Committee, reinforcing our commitment to female leadership. This partnership is a significant step towards equal opportunities, an essential element for social and economic progress.”
Francesco Sciacca, director general of the Spanish Committee for UNHCR, adds that “Mango’s support allows these young refugees to ‘aim higher’ and dream of a future in which they can study, work and contribute to society, both in their host communities and in the reconstruction of their countries of origin.”
This alliance seeks to expand access to university education for refugee women through the DAFI programme (which originated as the Albert Einstein German Academic Initiative). This initiative, implemented by UNHCR, focuses on promoting tertiary education, a level currently only accessible to 7% of young refugees. As part of this commitment, 96 scholarships will be awarded by 2027: 69 full scholarships covering the entire university programme, and 27 final-year scholarships to support those nearing graduation and entering the workforce.
A significant number of the women participating in the programme are based in the Asian region. In India, the DAFI scholarships are primarily awarded to Rohingya refugee women from Afghanistan and Myanmar. These women have sought asylum in India due to protracted conflicts and persecution in their countries of origin. In Pakistan, the majority of beneficiaries are Afghan refugees, highlighting Pakistan’s historical role as a host country for displaced populations.
Education is fundamental to personal development and autonomy, and is particularly crucial for refugee women and girls who face additional barriers to their academic progress. The scholarship programme, managed by UNHCR, provides access to university education, fostering both academic training and the personal and professional growth of its beneficiaries.
Impact and figures of the DAFI programme
Since its inception in 1992, the DAFI scholarship programme has supported more than 27,200 young refugees in 54 countries. In 2024, 54% of DAFI scholarship recipients in Asia were women, resulting in the highest percentage of female enrolment in a single year. This achievement is particularly significant given that refugee women face the greatest barriers to accessing higher education.
Beyond fashion, promoting equality and social development
Mango sees fashion as an expression of fundamental values such as inclusion, diversity and respect, and believes that its corporate work should contribute to the development of society.
Through its Social Action department, the company seeks to generate a positive impact in the communities in which it operates, implementing projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which promote equality and equity in a sustainable and long-term manner. In this way, in addition to sharing its passion for fashion, Mango promotes transformative change aimed at improving people’s lives, in this case, the lives of refugee women.
