PARIS — Christian Dior Parfums is extending the long-term collaboration with its ambassador Charlize Theron and her organization, the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, or CTAOP, to mark International Women’s Day.

“United by a shared commitment to women’s empowerment and quality of opportunity, the partnership supports vulnerable communities in South Africa, with a particular focus on young women as key drivers of lasting social change,” said Dior in a statement.

Christian Dior Parfums has supported CTAOP since 2021 in its drive to better the health, safety and future opportunities of youths in South Africa.

“I never thought that being a woman was a hinderance in terms of ambition, and this has really helped me — spurring me throughout my career,” said Véronique Courtois, president and chief executive officer of Christian Dior Parfums, in the statement. “Strong female friendships have supported me every step of the way. I’m a great believer in sisterhood.”

Through investment and close work with local partners, CTAOP aims to foster autonomy, leadership and sustainable progress at community level.

“I always knew that if I was ever in a position where I could give back, it would be to my home country, South Africa,” Theron said. “We work with female leaders. The work that they are doing, how they are able to bring communities together the way you would a family, that’s something I feel is very unique to women.

“I actually can’t remember a time that I haven’t been a part of the Dior family,” she continued. “In being with a house like Dior, for that long, there was just a real sense of evolution as we grew with each other and got to know each other better. I think the house of Dior had a real interest in what I was doing through CTAOP. We introduced them to some of the partners, making them aware of the incredible work that was being done and just needed more resources. I think it was a no-brainer for them: This was something that they wanted to be a part of.”

Central to the partnership is the Youth Leaders Scholarship Program, which Christian Dior Parfums has backed since 2021. That gives scholarships to 20 young people from underprivileged backgrounds, with some of them funded by Dior directly. They’re studying diverse subjects, including education, health sciences, business, gender advocacy, film and media.

“Our wish, at Christian Dior Parfums, was to extend our patronage with CTAOP, and to build on the Youth Leadership Program, supporting young female leaders, while extending our support to the action spearheaded by Lucinda Evans, recognizing these women as true agents of change,” said Cécile Lochard, sustainability director at Christian Dior Parfums, referring to the trailblazing South African women’s rights activist and feminist.

“We were lucky enough to go on the ground in South Africa to explore and get a better understanding of the real-life impact that the remarkable initiatives CTAOP supports, through local organizations and young leaders,” Lochard said. “This work is fully aligned with the values of Christian Dior Parfums. As a company, we have always advocated for equality of opportunity and women’s autonomy. It is one of our core pillars worldwide.”

One of the local initiatives supported through CTAOP is Philisa Abafazi Bethu, or “Heal Our Women,” the Evans-founded safe place. It is also known by its acronym PAB.

“One of the things I really love about the Youth Leaders Scholarship program and the work we do with our program partners like PAB is the connection between them,” said Ashlee George, executive director of CTAOP. “CTAOP is truly about the work being done today, right here and now, the program partners in the communities making it happen and the scholars who will pick up the torch and continue this work moving forward, be it in their own communities or even in other countries. We want to be catalysts for change — it’s not just how are we making a difference today, it’s how do we make a difference for years to come, as well.”

News of Dior’s extended collaboration with CTAOP comes a day before International Women’s Day, on Sunday.

“I think International Women’s Day is really important,” Theron said. “Sometimes people think that these days don’t really mean anything, but to me it’s a reminder of women and their struggles and their successes and all the things that we celebrate about them, hopefully not just on that day but on many other days.

“I want to say to women the same thing I say to my own two daughters: Life is never easy, we all will find ourselves at one time or another in a place where we don’t necessarily want to be, and that struggle is very real,” she continued. “Nothing has to define you that you don’t want to define you. You have the agency to decide who you want to be in this world, what you want to achieve and what you want to do. That’s something I think women should be honored with and I don’t think they necessarily are right now. I want to tell women: We see you, we hear you, we’re going to stick together and we’re going to figure this out together. I want to tell women that they’re not alone.”