Avon launches Equal Futures Fund to dismantle gender bias
Howard Lake | 25 November 2025 | News
Avon is expanding its purpose focus with the launch of its international Equal Futures Fund. The first UK recipient of a grant from this fund is Women’s Aid.
The new fund builds on over 20 years of advocacy from Avon, which has in that period donated more than $91 million and helped over 15 million women and girls facing abuse globally.
The fund is focussing on addressing gender bias because it is one of the known key precursors to gender-based violence.
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The grant of $50,000 to Women’s Aid will go directly to the charity’s Young Ambassador’s Programme. This is a national youth movement designed to empower children and young people to challenge
harmful gender norms and domestic abuse, through peer-led education.
The grant, and those to organisations in other countries, was announced to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The Equal Futures Fund is facilitated by global coalition NO MORE. It will tackle the impact of gender bias directly through targeted donations “to local NGOs in Avon markets worldwide”.
Kristof Neirynck, Avon CEO. said:
“Gender bias has silenced voices and limited women’s potential for too long. Through the Equal Futures Fund, we’re committed to supporting local organisations to drive positive change and address gender bias and inequity head on. I’m proud of our history, supported by our community of Representatives, customers and employees, in raising awareness, speaking out against gender based abuse and empowering each other to know how to seek support. Together, we’re building a future where everyone can thrive.”
Nine out of ten men and women across the world “hold fundamental bias against women” despite decades of advocacy, with a UN report showing no meaningful progress has been made in reducing gender bias in the last ten years.
The Women’s Aid Young Ambassadors programme is designed to address this by equipping children and
young people to speak up, challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours, promote healthy relationships, and create safe spaces for honest conversations about consent, boundaries, and abuse.
Pamela Zaballa, NO MORE CEO said:
“NO MORE is proud to partner with Avon on this critical effort to dismantle gender bias and prevent gender-based violence. By fuelling honest conversations, increasing awareness of existing biases and discrimination, and investing in community education, we know this initiative will drive lasting and meaningful change. It is imperative not just for women and girls, but for everyone to live in a more secure respectful, and prosperous world.”
- £100,000 from Women and Girls Fund split equally between 10 charities (25 November 2025)
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.