No less than 31.9% of Italy’s female population aged between 16 and 70 (some 7 million women) has suffered physical or sexual violence at least once in their life (source: Istat).
In 2005, Italy recorded one female death from violence or maltreatment every four days (Eures data)! And these are just the official figures. Most instances of violence go unreported and the phenomenon is much greater than commonly believed.

FONDAZIONE PANGEA is a not for profit organization that has been promoting women’s rights and social emancipation for years. It has now formed a partnership with the women’s weekly DONNA MODERNA in favor of “Progetto Italia”. The aim of this project is to raise funds (via text messages and a post office current account) to support four anti-violence centres (two in Milan and two in Rome); a psychological, legal and medical assistance service; an employment advisory service and a micro loan programme.

The role of Donna Moderna will be to focus attention on the problem via a high impact, far reaching information and communication campaign, devised by Oliviero Toscani. For 4 consecutive weeks, starting from 14 February, this campaign is occupying space in the magazine and its website under the heading “STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN”. The campaign is supported by R101 and Mediafriends.
In addition, on 8 March next, for the International Day of Women’s Rights, Donna Moderna is holding a conference on violence against women to be backed by a campaign of condemnation, reflection and support.

FRAMESI, Italy’s leading professional hair beauty multinational, already at Pangea’s side in its Sharma project in favor of women in Nepal, is offering the campaign its backing with a financial contribution and by urging its own hairstylists to talk to their customers about this issue and promote the campaign in their salons.

“Violence against women takes place right across the board in our society” comments Framesi President Fabio Franchina, “Framesi cannot hope to solve the problem, but we can provide Pangea – and partners sensitive to its initiatives – with our network of hairdressers and their customers, in order to understand the problem and heighten awareness of possible emancipation. In this specific case, our task will be to turn our hairdressers into ambassadors of the Donna Moderna campaign so that they can encourage their customers to make a contribution and raise as many funds as they can”.

FRAMESI S.p.A.
Framesi is an Italian multinational that has been working in the professional hair beauty sector for over 60 years. Dedicated exclusively to the hairdresser channel, our core business includes: quality products and services, hairstyle collections, training and refresher courses, technical support and all-round consulting for the development and success of hairdressing salons.
We are present in 87 countries (8 of which with local production) via participated companies, sole distributors and agents, serving some 8,000 clients in Italy and a further 45,000 in the rest of the world.

Alongside Fondazione Pangea for the SHARMA project
For the not for profit Pangea foundation, SHARMA is an important project of hope that Framesi is committed to financing in full from 2007 to the end of 2009.
Focusing on Nepal, a country in which the condition of women is dramatic and extremely difficult, the SHARMA project is setting up five women’s centres where the beneficiaries learn basic literacy skills and receive the professional training required to set up a micro business on their own. As well as creating and maintaining these support centers, the project is also planning a programme of micro loans for 100 women in each centre designed to help them achieve full economic independence.
Any Framesi hairdresser that purchases the products of the Framcolor 2001, Framcolor Futura, Framcolor 221 and Framcolor Eclectic lines – without any additional obligation or economic charge – gives a helping hand to Pangea and to the women of Nepal. The same is true of their customers, who, by going to one of the salons that has joined the project, prefers the quality and reliability of Framesi colorings.

Just a few lines to bring all those who have been involved, directly or indirectly, in the SHARMA PANGEA - FRAMESI PROJECT up to date on the project itself and on the situation in Nepal.

NEPAL
1 April 2007 saw the beginning of a new phase in Nepal’s political life, with the Maoists joining the government and the end of the civil war.
Despite the declarations of intent of the new Electoral Commission, however, transition from an absolute monarchy to democracy appears to be a lengthy process, especially due to the many claims put forward by the numerous ethnic groups that make up the Nepalese population.
Elections to a National Assembly are anyway due to be held on 22 November next
.

THE PANGEA WOMEN’S CENTRES
In spite of the political and environmental difficulties of life in Nepal, the Women’s Centres opened by Pangea with the SHARMA project continue to inform women and heighten their awareness of two basic issues:
•   Health and hygiene, teaching them how to reduce the risk of disease associated with poor personal and domestic hygiene
•   Human rights in general and of women in particular, stimulating awareness of their basic rights and offering women means of protecting themselves in the event of discrimination or abuse.

Then there are special programmes in the various Centres, according to the needs and requests of the women themselves.
In the Dang Women’s Centre, for example, seminars are held on developing leadership among women, to encourage an active role in public and private life, and on women participating in the National Assembly and in the electoral process. The hope is that women will learn to join forces to restore stability and help reconstruct their country.

Another example of a particular seminar is the one held in the Jhapa 2 Women’s Centre on the trafficking of women and children to India. This issue is causing mounting concern because there is a constant increase in the number of very young women and children falling into the hands of organized crime.

In addition, the Women’s Centres give advice and psychological and legal support to all the women victims of violence, to those suffering from economic hardship and for those without citizenship papers. Women are only entitled to the latter if they are officially recognized by a male relative.

MICRO LOANS
The women who have received Pangea micro loans have paid them off according to plan and regularly take part in the savings and management groups set up especially for them.
To help these women to develop their businesses, literacy classes are organized periodically; the students are monitored week by week by those in charge of the Women’s Centres.
In addition, target surveys are conducted to explore the needs of the various districts in which Pangea operates, so that appropriate solutions are found for the various different contexts.

2007 RESULTS
As well as numerous courses organized for a total of 744 women, Pangea has focused on 39 individual cases and has offered specific professional training to 314 women.

In January 35 new beneficiaries of micro loans were selected to start the following small businesses:
•   26 animal breeding
•   6 small retail stores
•   3 small farms growing rice and vegetables

By intervening directly in individual cases, Pangea guarantees that the funds collected by those taking part in the SHARMA Project are not scattered too far and wide but concentrated on achieving concrete results, constantly monitored by the project leaders. And the results are greatly appreciated and there for all to see.

Our heartfelt thanks go to all those who contribute, in whatever shape or form, to the success of the Pangea – Framesi scheme. Every contribution brings a smile to another woman’s face.

F R A M E S I   AND   P A N G E A   O N L U S   F O U N D A T I O N

SHARMA PROJECT

Framesi and Pangea Onlus Foundation together to offer a more colorful life to the Women of Nepal
Framesi, top level specialist of professional hair beauty, has been dyeing the hair of women from all over then world for more than 60 years. Pangea Onlus, a non profit institution based on dedication, awareness and enthusiasm, has always been fighting to support women that live in the most difficult situations. Today, Framesi and Pangea join forces to offer a more colorful life to the Women of Nepal, with the aim of giving them back the respect and consideration that the difficult situation of the Country has deprived them of.

The activity of Pangea in Nepal
In an extremely complicated political and social scene, since 2005 Pangea has been supporting the creation and the activity of centres for women situated in the poorest rural areas of Nepal. These centres offer to the women the opportunity to meet and to receive an education and a vocational training. The project has a wonderful female name: Sharma.

The Sharma project
It is a project of hope that operates within the situation of a Country where women’s conditions are dramatic and very hard. In addition to the creation and the support of the centres, a micro credit program for 100 women is provided in each centre, to allow them to reach a complete economic independence. These women will be taught to read and write and will attend a vocational training that will allow them to be able to develop an independent activity.

How to support the project
To help the Sharma project is a delicate, complex, yet not impossible matter. To support it is very easy for anyone. The hair stylists that buy Framcolor 2001, Framcolor Futura, Framcolor 221, will help Pangea and the Women of Nepal. The same will do their clients who, by going to a hair salon
that supports the initiative, choose the quality and reliability of Framesi colors. Everybody can play their part and offer their significant contribution.

A SIMPLE AND USEFUL ACT, WHICH MEANS A CONCRETE AND EFFECTIVE HELP.

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