Beiersdorf Philippines, Watsons, and Plan International Pilipinas collaborated to string together a series of initiatives to create sustainable pathways that will allow young women to realize their full potential, unhindred by the biases and barriers that have long held girls and women back.
These initiatives are carried out in commemoration of the International Day of the Girl (IDG). Held annually on October 11, IDG is a powerful occasion to bring the world’s attention to the realities and lived experiences of girls and young women.
To mark IDG, all three organizations have joined hands for the “BraveHER, BoldHER, & StrongHER: Redefining Girls’ Power to Take Charge, Break Barriers, and Thrive” event. This event serves as a platform to foster discussions about girl’s rights and gender equality, with a particular focus on equitable and quality health services, as well as career empowerment to increase their economic resilience
Bringing together Nimisha Jain Country Manager Beiersdorf Philippines, Cathy Seco of Executive Director Plan International Pilipinas, and Sharon Decapia, AVP for Marketing, PR & Sustainability of Watsons in one panel became an opportunity to open a genuine dialogue and prompt first-hand discussions about the importance of advancing girls’ rights, including their right to equal opportunities, celebrating their achievements, and raising awareness about the challenges they face.
Beiersdorf is setting their sights high with an ambitious target: to make a positive impact on the lives of 300,000 people in total by 2023 through the Empowering Girls projects. To achieve this Beiersdorf has set up programs that offer quality, inclusive education, promote protective environment and strenghten health services, an ideal environment for girls and young women to thrive. To demonstrate this commitment, Beiersdorf Philippines’ formal declaration of support for Filipina girls, aligns seamlessly with Beiersdorf’s global commitment, which kickstarted in 2020 and is set to continue until 2025.
Additionally, the company is turning over donating PhP1M to Punlaan School’s Pharmacist Scholars, providing young women and girls with a better chance to realize their dreams of becoming pharmacists. To generate the funds, Beiersdorf dedicated a portion of all NIVEA sales made at Watsons stores from July 15 to August 31, 2023.
Sarah a 19 year old Punlaan Scholar shares her keynote speech the experiences of being a modern girl today at BraveHer, BoldHer, StrongHer event celebrating International Day of the Girl.
Plan International, a development, humanitarian, child and youth-girl-centered organization working in the Philippines since 1961, adopts a lifecycle and gender-transformative approach to economic empowerment.
The organization is currently implementing projects that provide support to girls and young women from a young age and throughout each stage of life, enabling them to make economic decisions while challenging the gender norms and societal stigmas imposed upon them.
Watsons, as the leading health, wellness and beauty retailer brand, also recognizes their influence to change lives and uplift communities. As part of Watsons’ Sustainable programs under the “People” pillar,
Watsons’ has chosen Punlaan School, a renowned institution that caters to young women from underserved communities by providing essential training and education, to be the center for the Watsons Apprenticeship Program. Through this special 6-month program, young women are eqipped with the skills needed for a successful career path with Watsons.
It is also worth noting that this is more than just a one-day event for these organizations. BraveHER, BoldHER, & StrongHER comes in the tails of two other activities: the recent “Girls Takeover” hosted in five Watsons stores and the “Girls on the Rise” Career Workshop.
A signature IDG event of Plan International, the Girls Takeover aims to encourage girls to occupy spaces where they are rarely seen or heard, engaging in conversations that empower them to learn, lead, decide, and thrive. On September 30, Watsons and Beiersdorf welcomed 10 girl advocates who had the opportunity to take over the positions of Beauty Ambassadors, Cashiers, and Store Managers for a day.
As a follow-through activity to the Girls Takeover, the career workshop focused on developing the girl advocates’ intrapersonal skills, which are essential for success in the job market. During this workshop, Beiersdorf and Watsons staff actively engaged with the girl advocates by conducting modules focused on personal development and personal and professional values. These modules provided valuable insights and skills that empowered the advocates and boosted their readiness for future employment opportunities.
To learn more about NIVEA Philippines’ ongoing commitments and initiatives in empowering the young Filipina community, visit https://www.beiersdorf.com
To know more about Plan International Pilipinas’ work in advancing children’s rights and equality for girls in the Philippines, visit: https://plan-international.org/philippines/.
To know more about Watsons Philippines sustainability initiatives and efforts to support communities, visit https://www.watsons.com.ph/sustainability and www.watsons.com.ph.
