WASHINGTON — Avon Products Inc.’s chairwoman and chief executive officer Andrea Jung celebrated International Women’s Day by announcing a major new philanthropic thrust for the company: a global campaign to end violence against women. The Avon Foundation has donated $1.2 million to Vital Voices, a non-governmental organization whose mission is to empower women around the globe. Together with the U.S. State Department, the three will partner on a pilot program in 15 countries in which business, government, NGOs, law enforcement and the media work together to end domestic violence.
Jung also announced a $500,000 grant to the U.S Secretary of State’s Fund for Global Women’s Leadership, during the International Women of Courage Award Ceremony, held at the State Department and hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Those in attendance included U.S. Ambassador of Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer, Avon spokeswoman Reese Witherspoon and the company’s board.
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“When we empower women, we change the world,” said Jung. “For us as a company, it’s not a theory — it’s a truth.”
Noting one of every three women are victims of domestic or sexual violence, Jung said Avon’s decision to become involved in domestic violence came not from the top, but from the base. “We are a grassroots company,” she said. “Our representatives and consumers told us that they wanted us to take this on. With the staggering statistics, domestic violence was something that not only resonated, but that we felt we could make an active difference in due to our ability to raise awareness and offer financial independence, which in our minds is one of the great ways to change the course of this unfortunate epidemic.”
As part of Avon’s support, Witherspoon, who also serves as honorary chairperson of The Avon Foundation, announced a new fund-raising product — the Women’s Empowerment Ring — which will be launched as a companion piece to a necklace and bracelet, which already have raised $8 million globally since 2008.