Flourish - eMag - Mar 25 - Flipbook - Page 7
The Struggle is Real,
But So Is the Strength
Breaking Through the
Glass Ceilings
I remember my own moment of awakening
to gender inequality. At just 16, I walked
into an audition to host my school’s Annual
Prize Day event. Full of enthusiasm and
experience, I thought I had it in the bag. But
the role was handed over to a male
There’s a shift happening. Women are
pursuing higher education at an
unprecedented rate, with nearly 40% of
women with a college degree compared to
32% of men. By 2030, women are projected
to be a force to reckon with—economically,
socially, and politically. The question is: How
do we accelerate and sustain this progress?
The Path to Progress
counterpart who hadn’t even auditioned.
This was my first taste of thinking equal
opportunities are not guaranteed, a feeling
that countless women and girls experience
all over the world, often from a very young
age under many different circumstances.
Across the globe, women still face
marginalization and discrimination—many
without the basic rights to own property,
vote, or even open a bank account.. From
the impact of global crises like conflict,
climate change, and poverty to the growing
backlash against reproductive rights, women
bear the brunt of these challenges. Yet,
despite the odds, women continue to rise.
For starters, the international community
must prioritise equality for women and girls.
Gender equality isn’t just a moral obligation
—it’s the foundation for peaceful and
prosperous societies. Governments must
actively address discrimination, invest in
programs that benefit women, and ensure
that policies reflect their needs. The private
sector also has a role to play by driving
investment in women’s potential.
Another key to progress is increasing the
representation of women in leadership
positions. It’s simple: women in power can
create policies that reflect the realities
women face. For instance, I’m proud of the
work being done at the United Nations to
ensure gender parity in senior management
for the first time in history. But this should
be the norm, not the exception.
The Time for Equality
is Now
Currently, it will take roughly five
generations from now to reach gender
parity at the pace we’re going—an
unacceptable timeline for half of humanity.
It’s clear that we need to accelerate action.
This is the theme of this year’s International
Women’s Day: Accelerate Action (IWD:
IWD 2025 campaign theme is 'Accelerate
Action'). We need to take swift, decisive
steps to break down the systemic barriers
and biases that women face every day.
