UNIFEM Announces Partnership with Avon to Foster Women’s Empowerment
By Robert Valencia and Reinaldo Velandia
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Avon Products Inc. launched the Partnership for Women’s Rights and Empowerment and the creation of the Avon Empowerment Fund. The announcement was made on 4 March at a joint press conference during the Global Summit for a Better Tomorrow at UN Headquarters in New York.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the private sector to lend its cooperation to the multi-year campaign to end violence against women, launched on 25 February 2008 and continuing to 2015. The UNIFEM-Avon partnership is one example of a private-sector company stepping up to the challenge and joining the public sector to achieve a common purpose.
Joanne Sandler, Executive Director of UNIFEM, said the partnership would bring solutions and “shine a light on effective responses”. She referred to other similar programmes, such as IMAGE in South Africa, which combines teaching women about their rights with extending access to microcredit. These types of programmes help UNIFEM broaden new prospects in order to stop violence against women, she explained. “The problem is stoppable and solutions for it can be found”, Ms. Sandler said.
Actress Reese Witherspoon, Honorary Chairperson of the Avon Foundation, noted that her role was to be the voice of women’s empowerment. “One out of every three women in the world is affected by domestic violence”, she said. “I am proud to be part of this project, and I support Avon and UNIFEM wholeheartedly in their efforts to put an end to this global epidemic.” In addition, Ms. Witherspoon unveiled the women’s empowerment bracelet, which has an infinity symbol that represents opportunities for women. The bracelet will sell for $3.00 and all net profits will be donated to the Avon Empowerment Fund, in order to provide more education and job training for women. “I want to see this bracelet worn by women as a sign of solidarity”, the Academy Award-winning actress added.
UNIFEM and Avon announce the Partnership for Women's Rights and Empowerment. Reese Witherspoon presents Women's Empowerment Bracelet. (Photo: UN Photo/ Eskinder Debebe)
In 2008, the Avon Foundation will match the first $500,000 in bracelet sales, for a total donation of $1 million for a new grant-making by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. “This is the largest contribution in a single year”, Avon’s Chief Executive Officer Andrea Jung said. When asked about Witherspoon’s involvement in the partnership, she mentioned that the actress “really has the passion for this … it is so important for the foundation and who better than Reese to represent our company”.
The Trust Fund, in its eleventh year of operation, has distributed approximately $18 million to 250 innovative programmes, addressing violence against women in more than 120 countries. It also has a special focus on increasing legal literacy and working with judicial, legal and law enforcement agencies and personnel, as well as other stakeholders, to raise awareness on the efficacy of regulations to curb violence.
Ms. Jung remarked on the importance of entrepreneurship Avon has provided throughout its world markets and the opportunities that are available to women since the company was founded nearly 120 years ago. “Many of our representatives have different jobs and they still have customers and can work from home. They can reach their clients through the Internet. It is a high-tech business.” She emphasized that “by empowering women, we can help change the world and this commitment is imprinted on everything we do”.
