Mary Kay Inc. and the Mary Kay Ash Foundation have joined the Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, co-led by UN Women and UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. This movement mobilizes governments, international organizations, philanthropies and the private sector to create progress in the effort to end gender-based violence.
“There is a gender-based violence global emergency,” said Ryan Rogers, Chief Investment Officer for Mary Kay Inc., and Vice President of the Mary Kay Ash Foundation Board of Directors. “Violence experienced by women and girls is significantly underreported—but it’s estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 adolescent girls have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner. We must take action now. Since 2000, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation has awarded more than $58 million to domestic violence shelters. Our commitment to the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence will allow us to stretch that aid even further.”
In 2021 alone, Mary Kay contributed to the UN Trust Fund to support life-changing projects in 68 countries and territories that protect women and girls. Since 1996, the fund has provided $198 million in support for 609 organizations in 140 countries and territories who are investing in innovative and evidence-based civil society-led solutions at the national and local level.
“The UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, Mary Kay Inc. and the Mary Kay Ash Foundation have joined forces to achieve the ambition of Sustainable Development Goal 5 and ending violence against women by ensuring long term, core and flexible funding to women’s rights organizations around the world who are first responders [to] survivors,” said Vesna Jaris, Officer-In-Charge, UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. “As the world continues to experience multiple and coinciding crises, associated with increasing rates of violence against women, threatening gains in women’s rights, public-private partnerships are as important as ever to enable lasting results for women and girls around the world.”
