Check Corona
About the project
Date:
Client:
YouthCan
Services:
Social Impact Campaign
Project Overview
Her’d was part of YouthCan’s initiative to combat the misinformation and disinformation that spread across Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative brought together four teams, each addressing a different aspect of the issue through awareness campaigns, public education, and tools to help people identify and challenge fake news.
As part of the Her’d team, I worked on a campaign addressing gender-based misinformation that blamed women for the pandemic. Through illustration, print design, and social media outreach, we challenged harmful narratives and amplified a message of solidarity and resistance.
The Challenge
During the pandemic, misinformation about the virus’s origins and remedies spread alongside inflammatory statements from religious clerics and politicians. Some publicly blamed women, particularly those described as “indecent,” “liberal,” or “progressive,” for provoking divine punishment and bringing the virus upon society.
In a country where women already face significant gender-based discrimination and violence, these narratives risked deepening intolerance and putting women at greater risk. The challenge was to counter these harmful claims, communicate the consequences of gender-based misinformation, and make the campaign’s message accessible to a broad audience.
The Goal
A woman is not a virus. A woman does not cause a virus.
The campaign aimed to challenge the false association between women and the pandemic while raising awareness of the real social and economic consequences of COVID-19 for women in Pakistan.
As the graphic designer, I collaborated with the project manager, copywriter, and gender expert to translate the campaign’s message into a cohesive visual identity and a series of communication materials that could inform, engage, and encourage public participation.
Visual Communication: Posters and Brochure
The social media posters and informational brochure combined data-driven messaging with expressive illustrations to challenge gender-based misinformation. The visuals reinforced the campaign’s central statement while drawing attention to how the pandemic disproportionately affected women and threatened to worsen existing socioeconomic inequalities.
The campaign slogan was presented in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, to make the message more accessible and resonate with local audiences. By combining clear information, illustrative storytelling, and culturally relevant language, the materials made a complex social issue easier to engage with and understand.
Merchandise and Packaging
To extend the campaign beyond digital platforms, the Her’d team organized a training session for women and girls on using social media to verify information, recognize fake news, and speak out against misinformation.
We also collaborated with local Instagram influencers to broaden the campaign’s reach. I designed a collection of illustrated merchandise that influencers could feature in their content, creating another point of entry into the conversation and helping the campaign connect with a wider audience.
The campaign kit included a tote bag, face mask, keychain, and informational brochure. Together, these items brought the campaign’s visual language into everyday use while supporting its broader goal of raising awareness and encouraging people to question and challenge misinformation.
