ORANGE ALERT: The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women is marking its 20th anniversary with a jewelry project in collaboration with the fair trade organization SeeMe.
SeeMe has worked with female survivors of violence in Tunisia to make necklaces using local, traditional techniques. Their design for the UN anniversary is called the Orange Heart necklace.
The aim of the partnership is to help provide the women with an income by developing jewelry-making as a business in the region rather than just as a stand-alone charitable initiative.
SeeMe has in the past supported women in Tunisia and Lebanon by developing the countries’ fair-trade jewelry market. Its signature heart-shaped jewelry symbolizes the replacement of violence with love.
SeeMe has previously collaborated with brands including Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger and Karl Lagerfeld.
“Our new partnership with SeeMe will support the critical work of [recipients] of the UN Trust Fund, who work towards ending violence against women and girls,” said Aldijana Sisic, the fund’s chief.
Half of the proceeds from the sales of the Orange Heart necklaces will go to the UN Trust Fund’s prevention, legal, medical and advocacy projects. So far, more than 180,000 women have benefitted from such initiatives.
The announcement of the partnership will be made later today at an event in Amsterdam, which will include speakers such as Caterina Occhio, SeeMe’s founder and chief executive officer; and Maja Cecen, director of B92 Foundation, another recipient of the UN Trust fund.
The jewelry will be stocked exclusively at De Bijenkorf in Amsterdam and SeeMe’s online store. Prices range from 15 euros or $17 and 130 euros or $145.