CARE Cambodia (CARE) has been selected as a finalist for the fourth annual Avon Communications Awards: Speaking Out About Violence Against Women for its outstanding work with beer outlets to reduce sexual harassment. In observance of International Women’s Day, CARE’s work with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs to support their Non-Violent Workplace Initiative was recognised for its effortsto bring attention to violence against women. CARE’s support for the Ministry’s Initiative includes a range of communications materials which raise awareness of sexual harassment laws and the potential consequences for those who do not respect the rights of female waitresses and beer promoters.
CARE is one of 20 global organisations to be chosen as a finalist for the prestigious awards, which recognise outstanding communications campaigns that are helping change communities, policies, institutions and behaviours to end violence against women. The five winning organizations will be chosen by an expert panel of judges.
The top finalists were selected from nearly 400 submissions to the Communications X-Change by 146 organisations in 42 countries, ranging from Argentina and Canada to Uganda and Pakistan. The Communications X-Change is a digital global communications library that enables organisations and advocates throughout the world to find, share, and learn from the best communications material focused on ending violence against women and children. The Communications X-Change was developed and is managed by Futures Without Violence and funded by the Avon Foundation.
“The Avon Communications Awards are shining a spotlight on issues that affect one in three women across the globe,” said Christine Jaworsky, program director at the Avon Foundation for Women. “Communication and education are critical elements to ignite bystanders into action, and without public awareness and education, bystanders often do not intervene to help when abuse is suspected or observed. We congratulate these finalists selected through a very competitive selection process with so many outstanding entries.”
“We commend CARE Cambodia for their innovative use of communications to prevent and ultimately end violence against women and children in every corner of the world,” said Esta Soler, president and founder of Futures Without Violence. “These campaigns are an inspiration to the violence prevention community across the globe and a catalyst for change.”
For more information about Avon’s efforts to end violence against women around the world follow them on Facebook and Twitter at @avonfoundation #SpeakOut #IWD.
CARE’s work with the Ministry’s Non-Violent Workplace Initiative falls under the Safe Workplaces, Safe Communities project, which is funded by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. Learn more about the UN Trust Fund at www.facebook.com/UNTrustFund. For more information about CARE’s work to end violence against women in Cambodia, visit www.care-cambodia.org/endviolence or download the Safe Workplaces, Safe Communities publication.