AVON PRODUCTS FOUNDATION INC

- SPEAK OUT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCETHE FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO THE MISSION OF HELPING TO END GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. THE AVON FOUNDATION SPEAK OUT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED IN THE U.S. IN 2004 TO ACCELERATE PROGRESS TOWARD THAT GOAL. IN 2018, THE PROGRAM WAS RE-BRANDED THE AVON PROMISE TO HELP END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS. TO ACHIEVE ITS AVON PROMISE OBJECTIVES, THE FOUNDATION STRATEGIES INCLUDE:ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS HIDES IN THE SHADOWS OF SILENCE. THE FOUNDATION USES ITS GLOBAL VOICE TO SHED LIGHT ON THE MANY FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS AND DISCUSS WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE TO END IT.PROVIDE INFORMATION: AVON FOUNDATION HELPS MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WE WORK WITH AVON'S NETWORK OF REPRESENTATIVES, EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS HAS THE KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION THEY NEED TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO VIOLENCE BOTH SAFELY AND ON THEIR OWN TERMS. IT ENSURES THEY KNOW WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE AND HOW TO ACCESS THESE RESOURCES, SO THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED CHOICES. IMPROVE SUPPORT: PEOPLE CAN ONLY SPEAK OUT AND MAKE CHANGE IF THEY FEEL SUPPORTED WHEN THEY DO. THE FOUNDATION WORKS WITH AVON MARKETS TO ENSURE WOMEN AND GIRLS HAVE ACCESS TO THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. AND IT CONVENES GLOBAL LEADERS AND CHANGE MAKERS TO HELP MAKE SURE WOMEN AND GIRLS ARE UNDERSTOOD, SUPPORTED AND FAIRLY TREATED WHEN THEY SEEK HELP OR REPORT ABUSE. THE AVON FOUNDATION PROVIDED $500,000 IN NEW FUNDING IN 2019 TO WORLD ASSOCIATION OF GIRL GUIDES AND GIRL SCOUTS ($300,000) AND TO VITAL VOICES GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ($200,000). FOR THE LATTER, THE FOUNDATION BUILT ON ITS LONG-STANDING WORK OF THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, NOW REBRANDED VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE FOUNDATION, AVON MARKETS, VITAL VOICES AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE. NEW PROGRAMS WERE ACTIVATED IN 2019 UNDER THE VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE UMBRELLA IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES; CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA AND MAR DEL PLATA, ARGENTINA. PLANNING DELAYS WITH THE WORLD ASSOCIATION OF GIRL GUIDES AND GIRL SCOUTS PUSHED PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION INTO 2020-2021. DURING THE FIRST WAVE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, THERE WAS A GLOBAL SPIKE IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES. IN RESPONSE, AVON AND THE AVON FOUNDATION LAUNCHED THE ISOLATED NOT ALONE CAMPAIGN, WITH THE MESSAGE TO THOSE EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC ABUSE: YOU MAY FEEL ISOLATED, BUT YOU'RE NOT ALONE, INCLUDING PRODUCING A SERIES OF VIDEOS, WHICH SHARED POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES DISGUISED AS LIFESTYLE CONTENT. THE AVON FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED US$1 MILLION IN GRANTS TO 50 FRONTLINE NGOS IN NEARLY 40 COUNTRIES, TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND ADDRESS INCREASED DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES. THE CAMPAIGN RAISED AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE, SIGNPOSTED HELP FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT, AND CALLED ON GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPAND FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH THE INCREASED INCIDENCE OF VIOLENCE.