It is very well known that twice the number of men die than women die of Covid-19 globally. What is less well known is the alarming increase in domestic violence against women during the lockdown related to Covid-19. WHO and UN Women have both reported to be extremely concerned about this worldwide phenomenon. According to Google Trends data, there has been a 143 % increase in global searches or information related to domestic violence around the world.
Italian luxury giant Gucci and Kering Foundation (the foundation set up by Kering S.A., the French multinational corporation that owns Gucci) have teamed up to counter Covid-19 related domestic violence against women with their new campaign, #StandWithWomen. This new initiative has been launched through Gucci’s charity organisation, Chime for Change. It aims to raise funds for non-profit organisations that are supporting victims of gender-based violence during the coronavirus crisis.
The Chime for Change co-founder Salma Hayek said in a statement: “Now more than ever is the time to join together to protect the health, safety and human rights of girls and women around the world. We stand in solidarity with women everywhere to put a stop to gender-based violence. We stand in solidarity with women everywhere because we cannot risk the progress, we have made in the long fight for gender equality.”
The #StandWithWomen campaign will include non-profit organisations such as Chayn Italia in Italy, Equality Now in Middle East and North Africa, HER Fund in Hong Kong, Mediterranean Women’s Fund in France, Semillas in Mexico, Ms. Foundation for Women in the US and Rosa Fund in UK. These organisations are focused on ensuring the safety, health, and justice for women around the world including those of colour, transgenders, indigenous women and the disabled.
The campaign is the latest commitment from Gucci in a series of initiatives from the fashion house to convene the global community in the fight against COVID-19. In March 2020, under the call to action of “We Are All In This Together”, Gucci supported two crowdfunding campaigns:
- €1 million donation from Gucci to the National Civil Protection Department in Gucci’s home country of Italy– particularly affected by the crisis– through Intesa Sanpaolo’s For Funding crowdfunding platform to reinforce Italy’s health services and to source new ICU beds
- €1 million donation from Gucci to the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in support of the World Health Organization to help monitor and collect data on the spread of the virus, strengthen ICUs across the world, supply protection devices to health personnel, and fast-track the creation of vaccines and therapies.
Chime for Change which was founded by Gucci in 2013 to convene, unite and strengthen the voices speaking out for gender equality globally, has also partnered with crowdfunding partner Global Giving to distribute the donations. You can head over to the official #StandWithWomen website to contribute an organisation to support.
Kering Foundation whose motto is “Stop Violence. Improve women’s lives”, has been working towards combatting violence against women since it was set in 2008. It works through local survivor-centered organizations that provide services to women, and works with younger generations, particularly young men, and boys, to combat violence against women through prevention programs.
