Avon campaign to empower women affected by gender-based violence
Today marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign that Avon is taking part in with its new campaign which launched with a powerful image of a woman crying and the message, "Some scars can't be covered up with make-up".
The campaign aims to educate both men and women about gender-based violence with a view to changing attitudes and behaviours towards violence against women.
It will run through to Wednesday, 10 December, mainly on social media, and characterised by powerful images and glaring statistics. An important feature of the campaign is that it also speaks directly to men who in most cases are the perpetrators.
"The alarming statistics on violence against women in South Africa highlight how serious the issue is," says Vicky Saunders-Flaherty, PR, Internal Communications and Corporate Affairs Manager for Avon Justine. "Through this campaign we want to ensure that our society doesn't ignore the problem and instead faces up to it."
A woman is killed every eight hours by her male counterpart
According to the Medical Research Council (MRC), in South Africa a woman is killed every eight hours by her male intimate partner. The MRC also believes that violence against women, particularly rape is underreported with only one in 25 victims reporting the incident to the police. Avon is currently working with five NGO partners to educate communities across South Africa about gender-based violence with the aim of significantly reducing violence against women by changing attitudes.
Avon has raised over R5 million since 2008 which it has donated to its NGO partners, People Opposing Women (POWA), the Transform Education About Rape and Sexual abuse (TEARS) Foundation, Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women & Children in the Western Cape, Yokhuselo Haven in the Eastern Cape and the Women's Hope Education and Training (WHEAT) Trust in Cape Town. Avon is hoping to work with more NGO partners throughout the country in the next few years.
Avon raises funds through the sale of special empowerment products such as the empowerment tennis bracelet launched by actress and Avon's global celebrity spokesperson Megan Fox earlier this year. Avon will be selling the product in 2015 with the aim of raising more funds for the cause.
In addition, Avon has an SMS donation campaign which enables individuals to donate directly into Avon's Empowerment Fund by texting "end violence" to 41131 to donate R25 and to 38844 to donate R10. All proceeds go into the fund and are then donated to the NGO partners based on their requirements for the year.
The public is urged to support the campaign on social media as well as by purchasing an empowerment product or through the SMS line. This will not only help mobilise communities to take a decisive stand to end violence against women but will also enable Avon to work with more NGO partners, assisting thousands of women in the process.
