Women and Justice

Media Information

For inquiries about the Center and its work, or to arrange an interview with Center leadership, please contact Kathleen Corcoran at 1-703-299-6738 or via email.

___________________________________________________________________

Alumna Sara Lulo selected to lead AVON Global Center for Women and Justice

Sital Kalantry and Jocelyn Getgen recognized for their dedication to the advancement of women

Cornell Law School’s New Avon Center Seeks to Work with Judges to Stem Violence Against Women

The Avon Foundation for Women awarded a $1.5 million grant to establish the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School. The new center is focused on working with judges, legal professionals, governmental and non-governmental organizations to improve access to justice, in an effort to eliminate violence against women and girls.

Stewart J. Schwab, the Allan R. Tessler Dean and Professor of Law at Cornell Law School, and Andrea Jung, CEO, Avon Products Inc., made the announcement during the Global Forum for Women and Justice — a two-day meeting held in Washington DC, hosted by the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ). IAWJ engages judges and legal practitioners from around the world to address obstacles and solutions to the issue of violence against women.

“We are grateful to the Avon Foundation for Women for this generous grant,” said Dean Schwab. “Cornell Law School has a long and rich tradition of educating lawyers in the best sense who are committed to global justice. The Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School is in keeping with that tradition. We are proud to establish this center, with the Avon Foundation for Women, to assist judges throughout the world and to help provide access to justice for survivors of gender-based violence.”

The new Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School will undertake four major initiatives in an effort to improve access to justice and eliminate violence against women, including:

engaging in intensive legal clinical projects;
providing legal research for judges;
hosting conferences and events;
maintaining an extensive, online library of relevant laws, articles, and reports.

"In spite of the national and international laws meant to guard women against violence, gender- based violence continues to be a global epidemic. In too many cases, and too many places, the justice system is not effectively enforcing these laws,” said Sital Kalantry, faculty director of the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School. “The Avon Center will work with judges, and governmental and non-governmental organizations toward effective enforcement and implementation of these laws.”

The Avon Global Center for Women and Justice, which will launch this fall, will serve as a forum for judges and legal practitioners to share ideas and strategies on the role of the justice system in facilitating access to justice for women victims of violence.
___________________________________________________________________

See the AVON Foundation's Multimedia News Release

See coverage of the announcement on Good Morning America.

More News Coverage of the Center:

Avon Commits over $1.75 Million for New Partnerships to End Violence against Women: Establishes new Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School, PR Newswire: March 3, 2009

Cornell Law School’s New Avon Center Seeks to Stem Violence Against Women Worldwide by Working with Judges: Cornell Law School: March, 2009

Law School unveils center for women and justice, funded with $1.5 million from Avon foundation: Cornell University News Service: March 3, 2009

Grant Helping to Establish Women's Center at Cornell Law School: The Ithaca Journal: March 5, 2009

Avon Foundation Commit $1.75 Million to Help End Violence Against Women: Foundation Center: March 5, 2009

Avon Commits over $1.75 Million for Partnerships to End Violence Against Women: Congoo, March 4, 2009

Avon engagiert sich in neuen Partnerschaften zur Beendigung der Gewalt an Frauen: WomenWeb.de - Der Klick der Frauen: March, 4, 2009

Reese Witherspoon Pushes to End Domestic Violence: Contact Music: March 4, 2009