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International Women’s Day: Partnering for Gender Equity
Company Feature, Mar 8, 2023
At The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), we believe that all people deserve equitable access to health, education, and economic participation. However, despite some progress in the last few decades, women and girls around the world face systemic exclusion from opportunities to advance. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, it will take another 132 years to close the global gender gap at the current rate of progress.
Inspired by the fearless vision and generosity of our founder, Mrs. Estée Lauder, ELC has a long-standing legacy of helping advance possibilities for women and girls. As we look to the future, we are committed to sustaining and forging partnerships with organizations and leaders globally to help make gender equity a reality.
This International Women’s Day (IWD), we are proud to celebrate 6 incredible young women and the non-governmental organization (NGO) partners who stand behind them. Supported through The Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation (ELCCF), these organizations are connecting young women across the world with the education, life, and leadership skills to break down systemic barriers, grow as leaders, and make lasting change for themselves and their communities.
Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation
ELC and ELCCF have partnered with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), in India, to address child labor in the mica mining industry. KSCF works with local communities to develop proactive, holistic, and sustainable solutions to eradicating child labor in the Indian mica mining industry, including the development of Bal Mitra Grams (BMGs), or Child Friendly Villages which seek to prevent children from working in the mica mines by promoting education and school enrollment. ELC has supported the establishment of more than 290 Child Friendly Villages.
Rajkumari was 12 when she was rescued from child labor by a BMG in Jharkand. As soon as she could read and write, she taught the other women in her community. Today, she is a teacher at the Bal Mitra School in Topa Pahari, Jharkhand, a social worker for the surrounding villages, and fierce denouncer of child labor and child marriage.
CAMFED
ELCCF and CAMFED’s partnership in Ghana supports adolescent girls, so they complete school, and educate young women to, in turn, support the next generation. In 2022 alone, ELCCF’s grant enabled 1,000 girls to complete high school and provided 1,732 young women with training and support to reach thousands of children with life and learning skills, health information, and psychosocial support.
Rosalinda is one of over 55,000 members of the CAMFED Association in Ghana who have an unstoppable determination to ensure that every girl secures her right to go to school, learn and thrive.
International Rescue Commitee
Since 2017, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and ELCCF have partnered to provide essential support to crisis-affected communities. With ELCCF’s support, IRC has delivered lifesaving services to over 500,000 people affected by the crisis in Ukraine; supported more than 1,200 Afghan women and girls and other new American youth as they acclimate to New York City; and strengthened and expanded educational access for youth globally.
The IRC’s work in Colombia has impacted the lives of women like Omaira. Omaira is a Women’s Protection and Empowerment Advocate, which includes a group of women who participate in workshops and sessions with the IRC where they are encouraged to identify ways to prevent–and even respond to–gender-based violence in their community.
UNIBES
Unibes (União Brasileiro Israelita do Bem Estar Social) serves children, adolescents, the elderly, and families who live in social vulnerability in Brazil. The organization provides participants with education, autonomy, professional development, and an opportunity to change their future.
ELCCF supports Unibes’ adolescent girls’ empowerment programming. Girls like Melissa engage in life skills workshops, mentoring focused on self-esteem and positive decision making;, as well as skills essential for the job market, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, problem solving and English lessons. Participants also have opportunities for career readiness and placement.
Room to Read
Room to Read’s mission is to transform the lives of millions of children through education, creating a world free from illiteracy and gender inequality. To date, the organization has benefited more than 32 million children across 49,000 communities in 21 countries. ELCCF supports Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program in Italy, India, and Vietnam, which is designed to improve learning and life outcomes for adolescent girls like Yashika.
Yashika’s route to school was long and sometimes dangerous. Despite expectations that she would not continue her education, she was determined to get to school. Through Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program, Yashika learned to advocate for herself, built her confidence, and took a self-defense class for girls – eventually competing in the Skys India National Karate Championship and winning gold. Today, she serves as a mentor to girls in her community.
The Asia Foundation
Since 2010, ELC has partnered with The Asia Foundation on girls’ education and leadership programing in Vietnam and Indonesia.
The ELCCF Scholars in Vietnam program has enabled 454 girls to receive secondary school education. More than 70% of the 342 who graduated have enrolled in university or vocational schools — including Le Ngoc Tram who is currently a 4th year medical student at Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy studying to become a doctor.
