“Life is not fair; get used to it.” 

This is the first rule from the famous Bill Gates’s “11 rules you will never learn in school.”

While this rule resonates with everybody, it probably resonates more with women than men. Women are surrounded by innumerable stereotypes especially when it comes to the workplace. 

Stereotypes are often drivers of forming impressions about people and guide our decisions and preconceptions about gender have important consequences for the workplace.

For example, research shows that women are held to stricter standards for promotion: promoted women have higher performance ratings than promoted men, and performance ratings are more strongly related to promotions for women than for men. Similarly, dominant women are perceived as less likeable and less likely to get hired than men. A 2016 survey of more than 30,000 employees found that women who negotiated for promotions were 30% more likely than men to be labeled intimidating, bossy or aggressive.

People Matters on this Women's Day, brings to you She Matters, a week-long campaign on theme EachForEqual with an aim to create a difference for businesses that not only practice "Equality" but "Equity".

And as we launch SheMatters, we take a look at these women and how their stories break all stereotypes and kill the old notion around "gender equality".