| From Berlin, Global Summit of Women 2025
This week, I’m sitting in a room filled with over 1000 women leaders from 65 countries. Berlin is buzzing, not just with energy, but with possibility. Stories are being exchanged in hallways, new collaborations sparked over coffee, and across every session, one truth keeps rising to the surface:
We can’t build equity unless we build it together.
True equity isn’t women stepping into roles traditionally held by men, it’s reshaping the world so that no role is limited by gender, race, age, or ability. It’s not about “us versus them.” It’s about all of us, shoulder to shoulder.
Respect is the foundation. Allyship is the bridge.
We talk a lot about women’s empowerment, and yes, it’s crucial. But real systemic change happens when men are empowered alongside women to be part of the solution. When men speak up in rooms where women aren’t yet present. When they listen deeply, challenge bias, and ask “What more can I do?”not for credit, but for progress.
This isn’t performative. It’s purposeful.
Back home in Australia, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when women are invited to lead and men step forward, not back, to stand with us. In boardrooms, on playing fields, in council chambers and cafés, the most impactful leadership is shared leadership. The kind that honours diversity and values every voice.
But we can’t stop there.
At this summit, I’m thinking a lot about our next generation. The young people growing up in a world more interconnected, and more uncertain, than ever before.
We owe them more than speeches.
We owe them systems that work. Workplaces where worth isn’t measured by productivity alone. Communities where kindness isn’t an afterthought, it’s the culture. And most importantly, we owe them a seat at the table.
Their voices are not the voices of tomorrow. They are the voices of now.
Involve them early. Invite them in. Mentor them not just through words, but through action. Because when we model equity, respect, and allyship, not just in policy but in practice, we don’t just change the story. We change who gets to write it.
As I take in the strength and spirit of the women around me, I’m reminded that this isn’t about titles or power. It’s about legacy. About building something strong enough and kind enough to hold all of us.
One world. All voices. Moving forward. Together!
