L’Oréal Fund for Women pledges AED1.24 million to Shamsaha to support women in the GCC

As part of L’Oréal’s ongoing efforts and commitment to support women’s rights, L’Oréal Fund For Women has pledged AED1.24 million to Shamsaha, a non-profit corporation based in Bahrain, to support its mission in protecting, advocating and empowering women in the GCC.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequalities, affecting women socially and economically at a disproportionate level as well as increased cases of domestic abuse. Against this backdrop and under “L’Oréal For the Future” program, the 2030 sustainable development roadmap, the Group launched the L'Oréal Fund for Women in 2020, a three-year charitable endowment fund of 50 million euros to support highly vulnerable women around the world.

Shamsaha, the only organization of its kind in the region which provides 24/7 crisis support for victims of abuse and domestic violence, will utilize the funds to expand the crisis program’s services and on-ground operations to the UAE as well as KSA, Oman, and Kuwait. The expansion plan will include forging partnerships with key resource providers to offer victims medical, therapeutic, and legal support as well as food, supplies and transportation. This program could especially thrive in the UAE testament to its pioneering efforts in driving the female empowerment agenda forward.

Shamsaha will also focus its efforts on streamlining the development of a mobile application to support victims of abuse across the region which is set to launch in the UAE and the GCC in the third quarter of 2021. With the support of L’Oréal Fund for Women, Shamsaha aims to support 4,000 women by end of 2022.

Commenting on the partnership with Shamsaha, Rémi Chadapaux, Managing Director of L’Oréal Middle East, said: “The pandemic’s lockdown measures undeniably created a very trying environment for everyone across the globe, but even more so, for victims of domestic abuse. As a Group that has been committed to empowering women, it was essential to take action to help the most vulnerable women particularly those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are inspired by Shamsaha’s tireless efforts and its true potential to alleviate the challenges that women face every day. Together, we believe we can help make a difference and bring a voice to women who need it the most.”

Mary-Justine Todd, Founder and Executive Director of Shamsaha, said: “On behalf of everyone at Shamsaha, I want to thank the entire L’Oréal team, and specifically the L’Oréal Fund for Women, for providing us the opportunity to launch our much-anticipated expansion project and for putting their faith in us and all that we are hoping to accomplish. I founded Shamsaha because I believe in the potential of women. Working together to mitigate the effects of abuse and domestic violence can create lasting change for women, families and entire communities. When women thrive, everybody thrives.”

Shamsaha’s mobile app will provide information and resources on women’s health and survivor support tools for victims and the general public. It will also streamline scheduling and communication between 100+ volunteers as well as the registration of events and workshops. In addition, Shamsaha will extend its awareness program campaign to wider audiences in the region.