International Women’s Day 2025: Our Work in Progress

Community | 06 Mar 2025

The Michael Hill Foundation helped to empower over 15,000 women in 2024. Discover our ongoing commitments.

2025 marks 30 years since the United Nation’s Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action for achieving gender equality. This International Women’s Day represents an important milestone for assessing and celebrating progress; as well as recognising the barriers and disparities still in place, recommitting and taking real action towards rights, equality and empowerment for all women and girls.

International Women’s Day 2025 also marks just over one year since we launched The Michael Hill Foundation to escalate our commitment to Empowering Women. With the help of our valued customers and charity partners, we have been able to make some incredible achievements so far – and we’re dedicated to helping more women in need this year as we continue striving towards our 2030 Goals.

In honour of International Women’s Day, we’re taking a moment to reflect on our collective achievements so far, and on what’s to come.

WHAT WE’VE ACHIEVED

Since launching The Michael Hill Foundation in February 2024, we’ve raised close to $220,000 for women in need. This is thanks to the generosity of our customers and community, who’ve purchased our dedicated Foundation jewellery products. With these funds, together we’ve been able to help 15,485 women:

1,000 women in New Zealand with the vital services of Women’s Refuge.
2,667 people who menstruate in Canada thanks to The Period Purse.
314 women in Australia through Dress for Success.
11,504 women in India via our partners, Collective Good Foundation and Rosy Blue Foundation. Our project launched in July 2024 and, so far, we’ve already been able to increase food security and financial independence by helping women establish and maintain their own home gardens. We’ve also helped women gain critical digital access to schemes and subsidies, provided education sessions on menstrual hygiene and wellbeing, set up period product dispensers, and refurbished a number of toilet facilities in women’s spaces.

WHAT’S TO COME

Our goal is to empower 100,000 women by 2030. We are proud to announce that in 2025 we have expanded our range of products for The Michael Hill Foundation.

Now, a portion of sales from every pearl product is donated to charities dedicated to empowering women. This will allow us to raise more funds to help our partners continue their important work for women in need.

We have also begun a new partnership with The Salvation Army in Australia. We have handpicked local programs in each state and territory, dedicated to helping women who are experiencing homelessness or domestic violence, ensuring donations empower women who need it most across Australia.

This new partnership for 2025 complements our continuing support of Women’s Refuge in New Zealand, The Period Purse in Canada, and Collective Good Foundation in India.

This new partnership begins as another partnership ends. Since 2021, we have been privileged to support Dress for Success in Australia, and we thank the team at Dress for Success for the meaningful partnership we’ve created over the last four years.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can help us contribute to our charity partners’ incredible work simply by purchasing any piece of pearl jewellery. From classic stud earrings and pearl bracelets to contemporary baroque and graduated pearl designs, find the perfect piece for your own collection or to gift a loved one, while making a difference.

A portion of sales from all Michael Hill pearl jewellery pieces will be attributed to The Michael Hill Foundation and donated to our women’s charity partners.

Learn more about The Michael Hill Foundation, and shop our range of pearl jewellery.