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| Avon PH ambassadors Ruffa Gutierrez and daughters Lorin and Venice Gutierrez |
Asia Pacific is the most disaster prone region in the world
and faces a growing number of conflicts and protracted emergencies, which
disproportionately affect women and girls. Luckily, there are a number of NGOs as well as private companies like Avon Philippines scaling up to give responses to gender-based violence in emergencies,
integrating sexual and reproductive health serviced and strengthening the
humanitarian-development-peace-nexus.
Sadly, violence continues to affect millions of women around
the world—in fact, some of us may have experienced or witnessed them. Every
woman has a story of abuse, harassment, or rape, or fear of not being believed
or belittled. It has spawned the #MeToo movement in the first place
to take action, and it’s long past time for them to come to an end. The number
speaks loud and clear: 1 out of 4 married Filipinas have experienced abuse from
their partners; 3 in 5 Filipinas have been sexually harassed in their lifetime;
while online harassment has victimized mostly women aged 15 to 35.
In celebration of the Women’s Month, Avon Philippines, one of
the companies that has long supported women’s causes renews its promise to help
alleviate violence against women and girls as part of its recently launched
global advocacy called Stand4Her. It aims to improve the
lives of 100 million women by advancing their earning potential, freedom of
expression, empowering them and making sure that they live a safe and healthy
life.
