In 2008, Avon Products, Inc. and the Avon Foundation introduced the company’s first-ever global fundraising product, the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet, designed to save and improve women’s lives worldwide. The bracelet was unveiled by Avon’s Global Ambassador Reese Witherspoon at Avon’s 2008 Global Summit for a Better Tomorrow held at the United Nations in partnership with UNIFEM.

The Women’s Empowerment initiative was created to raise awareness about the need to speak out against the violence that affects women around the globe. In support of this mission, proceeds from the Women’s Empowerment Bracelet launched the Avon Empowerment Fund, which contributed $1 million to the UNIFEM-managed UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women and funded local UNIFEM projects in 13 countries. In addition, more than 30 Avon countries around the world launched partnerships with local domestic violence agencies during 2008, and Avon global grantmaking for the cause exceeded $7.4 million.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Avon launched its second global fundraising product, the Women’s Empowerment Necklace at the Global Forum for Women and Justice in Washington, DC, on March 3, 2009. The Forum for women judges and domestic violence leaders from around the world opened with a reception hosted by former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at the US Supreme Court on March 2nd.

Click here to purchase the Women’s Empowerment Necklace now and help stop the violence.