Here’s how Avon helps end gender-based violence

Gender violence is a structural and transversal problem in all socioeconomic strata, and Mexico is one of the countries where women suffer more from this type of situation, reveals the Regional Survey of Public Opinion on Gender Violence.

The study was recently prepared by Avon and Avon Foundation by the hand of quiddityin collaboration with Casa Gaviota A Flight without Violence AC. In it, 90% of Mexican women express having experienced a situation of violencefollowed by the Argentines, with 80% of the responses.

The survey highlights the importance of identifying the obstacles, motivators and inhibitors that arise when a woman initiates, transits or remains on the ‘critical path’ of violence. This means, on the path they take to get out of her violent situation.

This route is a complex process where several actors are involved and confusion can be generated that, in most cases, causes them to not know how to continue or who to seek help from.

very few ask for help

Something to note is that only the 11% of women Respondents who experienced a situation of gender violence they ask for help. Among them, half of those who make a complaint are afraid of the consequences.

Within the barriers found, it was detected that the 43% of the Mexican feel ashamed at the time of reporting. He 41% stated that they were afraid at consequences and a third mentioned that they don’t know where or who to turn to at a time like this. Of those surveyed, 4 out of 10 felt that they were not going to be believed and 1 in 3 received threats.

The donations to end violence against women and girls

With the aim of helping to eradicate gender violence, Avon delivered more than 6 million pesos to eight foundations and organizations who work for this cause, through initiatives of prevention, education and support.

The program led by the direct sales brand is named Pledge to end violence against women and girls, and has been operating for 19 years in Mexico. Ingrid Espinosa, Avon’s Head of Social Responsibility, explained that to date 28 million pesos have been donated to the cause.

The funds come from an annual collection made by the 400,000 beauty representatives in Mexico for the sale of Avon products.Espinosa explained. For the sale of these products they do not receive a commission, but they do open up an opportunity for more women to break the cycle of violence.

During the second half of the year, Avon launches a call for different organizations to submit their proposal and receive funds to implement education, prevention or support programs to prevent violence.

The delivery of donations

The proposals are evaluated by a jury of leading experts in various areas of social sciences, psychology, communication, human rights, gender violence, equity, among other topics.

The selection is made based on innovation, feasibility, management, coherence and positive impact generated by the projects. This year, those selected address the following issues:

• Strengthening of institutions dedicated to protection, support and assistance.
• Make visible on the public agenda on child femicide for the prevention of violence against girls and adolescents.
• Promote education from an early age in different areas and increase the participation and political and economic leadership of women.
• Increase public awareness and social mobilization to allow women who are victims of violence to break the silence and access justice.

Winning Organizations

1. Mexican Foundation for Child Support AC (Save The Children). It seeks to contribute to making visible the situations and risks of violence that girls and adolescents experience specifically. The impact will be national in scope, but will predominate in CDMX, Monterrey, Puebla, Tijuana, Oaxaca, Mérida, Sinaloa and Ciudad Juárez, estimated to reach more than 3 million people.
2. “Women in Mexico. Equality is Possible Mobile Museography” by Memory and Tolerance, AC will impact more than 600,000 women in CDMX and the metropolitan area with the purpose of promoting a culture of peace, publicizing the complaint and information mechanisms of the authorities that provide attention and sanction, creating awareness through historical memory and promoting the exhibition as an awareness tool.
3. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). It seeks to ensure that refugee women and girls in Mexico who are survivors of gender violence have adequate and timely access to quality services and supplies and information for prevention.
4. Mexican Foundation for Family Planning, AC (MEXFAM). The objective is to reduce cases of violence, especially in the sexual sphere, in girls and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18 in six rural and indigenous communities (Tepetzintla, Tierra Blanca, El Humo, Ixcatepec, Mata de Otate and San Francisco) in the municipality of Naranjos in Veracruz with awareness workshops in public schools, to identify situations of violence, break generational behavior patterns and make decisions to improve their quality of life.
5. Women in AC Frequency Contribute to the reduction of violence by facilitating the assertive access of women to justice in Morelos, Campeche and CDMX, through a strategic plan to sensitize public servants in charge of their protection and attention.
6. Changing Lives Foundation Changing Minds AC Guarantee the continuity of the shelter to care for women victims or at risk of violence and their daughters and sons. The methodology will be dialogic and participatory, based on the UN-Women model, seeking at all times to safeguard the dignity of women and their daughters and sons.
7. Gender Equity, Citizenship, Work and Family AC Prevent, mitigate and respond to violence against women and girls in vulnerable situations in four municipalities in the states of Chiapas and Guerrero.
8. Voices of Women in Action AC Guarantee access to health services of NOM-046-SSA2-2005 Family, Sexual and Violence Against Women and the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy through social and legal accompaniment, and achieve that through reflection workshops and the socialization of information in various public spaces of municipalities outside the metropolitan area of ​​Nuevo León.

Marisol Garcia Fuentes Editorial Director Emprende and Emprendedor.com. I am motivated by stories of tenacity and innovation.