- Majority of women (68%) find strength in hearing every day, relatable stories from other women and 72% find comfort in being able to share their experiences
- Most women (92%) globally have felt increased pressure over the pandemic
- The pandemic has also led to increased feelings of doubt for over half (57%) of women as they have taken on home schooling, job and financial stresses, without being able to share their experiences
- To help women around the world cope with persisting lockdown restrictions, Avon is launching a global story and image gallery to connect them with like-minded individuals as they share real and relatable lived experiences
With fears that the coronavirus has set the fight for gender equality back decades, and another worrying conclusion that 41% of women have lost confidence as a result of lockdown restrictions, Avon is launching a campaign to celebrate the achievements and stories of women and men around the world.
Commissioned as part of the My Story Matters campaign, launched in January 2021, the new research surveyed 8,000 women globally from countries including UK, Poland, Italy, South Africa and the Philippines.
It found that most women (92%), have felt increased pressure during the pandemic due to being unable to see loved ones in person (49%), financial stresses (47%), job security (29%) and home schooling (24%). Alongside these pressures, half of women (52%) admit they have felt less connected, resulting in feelings of anxiety (44%), isolation (42%), lack of motivation (34%), and self-doubt (20%).
Despite over half (57%) turning to online platforms to feel connected with their peers, over a quarter (28%) of women said they feel judged when sharing their own struggles on social media sites, 27% don’t believe anyone would be interested to hear their story and 40% don’t like to talk about themselves.
To address these concerns, Avon is launching a global gallery for women and men to share different relatable stories of their lived experiences ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
The gallery already features a host of stories – close to 10, 000 so far – ranging from juggling motherhood and a career, to survivors of breast cancer and domestic violence.
As a company for women, Avon has always been at the forefront of endeavours that are aimed at empowering women and supporting the causes that resonate with them. My Story Matters is another example where it uses the power of beauty and its brand to amplify the voice of women and advance women empowerment.
Angela Cretu, Avon CEO, said: “In a world where our voices aren’t equal, in our everyday life we gather strength from people like us; those that have shared experiences. It helps gives us strength when we hear of another woman struggling with the same things we are.”
To celebrate every story shared, the Avon Foundation will also donate $1 to charities that support women to help create a better world for women, “which is a better world for all,” added Cretu.
Men and women looking to share their stories of adversity and resilience can do so by visiting www.watchmenow.avon.com.
For more inspiring stories from our gallery on how Avon is using the power of beauty to transform lives, click here.
