ÖREBRO, SWEDEN — Last year, 24 women were murdered in Sweden, many by someone they had close relations with. According to the police, the number of reports of domestic abuse is expected to increase during Christmas. In acknowledgment of these dark statistics, Alla Kvinnors Hus (All Woman’s House), Sweden’s first and largest women’s shelter, produced an advent candle, All Women’s Light, with 24 names, one for each woman who was murdered in 2021. The advent candle. created in partnership with creative agency Familjen, is a deep-rooted tradition in Swedish households and an important countdown until Christmas Eve, the 24th of December. The candles usually hold the number 1 to 24 representing the days, but this year All Woman’s House added a name to each number.
“This year we view the countdown to Christmas in a different light to draw attention to the deadly violence against women. Our campaign will remind the Swedish government that our fight against domestic violence never ends and that people are requesting change,” said Ann Isaksson, director of operations at All Woman’s House.
“Alla Kvinnors Hus plays an important role in helping adults and children who have been victims of domestic violence. Their tireless commitment has inspired and touched us deeply. We are very proud to highlight their important work with this campaign and get more people to support them. In the communication of the campaign, we highlight a classic Swedish Christmas phenomenon, the advent candle, but the cozy feeling is quickly replaced when you see the following names and understand the context,” said Oskar Ferm and Lia Merkel, lead creatives at Familjen.
The advent candle is handcrafted by Brynge Candle Foundry and comes in custom-made packing. The candle has been sent to key stakeholders and influencers. Every day until Christmas, All Women’s Light is seen burning down on digital screens and on a specially built outdoor board in central Stockholm. In addition, the campaign includes podcast collaborations, audio, print, and social media ads.
“During this project, we have seen incredible commitment and the idea of All Women’s Light has left no one unaffected. We thank everyone involved who made this initiative possible in various ways,” said Karin Hamberg, client director at Familjen.
To purchase the candles, click here. All income goes directly to Alla Kvinnors Hus’ work against domestic violence.
