Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges In every sector-from science to sports, boardrooms to classrooms-women are not just participating, they’re leading. And they’re doing it with data, drive, and dignity. The Numbers Speak Loudly -Women now make up 40% of the global workforce. -In India, female enrollment in STEM fields has crossed 43%, one of the highest in the world. -The number of women-led startups has grown by 90% in the last five years. -India’s women’s cricket team just chased down 339 runs-the highest successful chase in Women’s ODI history. This isn’t about competition. It’s about collaboration, inclusion, and progress. Women aren’t asking for a seat at the table-they’re building new tables and inviting everyone to join. Let’s celebrate achievements without comparison. Let’s uplift without undermining. Because when women rise, society rises. #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #LinkedInCommunity

💭 Are women less capable or interested in science and technology? In reality, it’s not a lack of interest - it’s the social, cultural, and institutional barriers that keep women underrepresented in STEM. Under the Right Here Right Now (RHRN) – Bangladesh Platform, Youth Policy Forum (YPF) launched its Mythbuster Series, exploring misconceptions through storytelling and advocacy led by young voices. The fourth and final episode, written by RHRN Youth Ambassador Sirazum Munira Raiyan, unpacks the myth “Women are not interested in STEM” and why breaking it matters for equality and sustainable development. 🔗 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gMd6V2ad #RHRN #YPF #WomenInSTEM #GenderEquality #MythbusterSeries #YouthAdvocacy

Throwback to when I did a podcast for ScaryAmmi, in collaboration with another local business, to talk about digital literacy in women and how access to technology can increase their skill set, as well as enable them to earn a livelihood. In Pakistan, only 26% of Pakistani women own a smartphone, compared to 52% of men, highlighting a significant digital divide that hampers women’s ability to engage with AI technologies. Organizations like the Digital Rights Foundation, led by Nighat Dad, are working to promote digital inclusion for women in Pakistan. These efforts aim to empower women to participate more fully in the digital economy and AI-related fields. #LearningAndDevelopment #eLearning #ContentStrategy #WomenWhoBuild #ContentWithPurpose #IdeasIntoImpact

Girls are not just the future. They are the present. Yet across Africa, millions of girls grow into womanhood without access to the economic opportunities, skills, and networks they need to thrive. According to the World Bank, closing the gender gap in the workforce could boost global GDP by over $160 trillion. At BusinessDay Foundation, we are committed to changing this by creating pathways that connect girls and young women to skills, visibility, and enterprise opportunities; unlocking their potential as innovators, leaders, and wealth creators. Because when girls rise, economies do too. #BusinessDayFoundation #internationaldayofthegirl #internationaldayofthegirlchild

EMPOWERING FEMALE YOUTH ACROSS PUNJAB Women Development Department (WDD), Government of Punjab, organized an engaging Awareness Session on “Skills Development through Ambassador Program for Female University Students Across Punjab” and “Entrepreneurial Female Youth Pitch Competition” on 11 September 2025 in collaboration with Lahore Leads University, Lahore. The session aimed to create awareness among female students about provincial opportunities in skill development and entrepreneurship, enabling them to actively participate in Punjab’s journey toward inclusive growth and women-led innovation. Representatives from Women Development Department including Mr. Faheem Akhtar - Manager (Projects/Initiatives), SPIU and Mr. Mazhar Ali - Gender Monitoring Specialist (GMS), WDD shared insights on WDD’s ongoing initiatives under the Annual Development Program 2025-26 focused on women’s empowerment, capacity building, and youth engagement. In her closing remarks, Dr. Ammara, Focal Person, Lahore Leads University, Lahore praised the Women Development Department efforts for launching such progressive and inclusive initiatives that aim to empower university female students across Punjab. She emphasized the importance of such programs in nurturing future women leaders and promoting a culture of innovation and equality in higher education institutions. The session concluded with an interactive discussion and a group photograph, marking an inspiring and forward-looking engagement for young women leaders of Punjab.

Building the Blueprint for Equity UN Women India has launched a new think tank for women’s equity, a powerful step toward making inclusion measurable, actionable, and scalable. The initiative will focus on driving research, policy, and collaboration across sectors to reduce gender gaps and strengthen women’s roles in India’s economic and social fabric. For India’s women entrepreneurs, professionals, and change makers, this is more than policy, it’s infrastructure for equality. When data meets design, and collaboration meets conviction, progress isn’t a dream, it becomes a framework. At RizingHer, we believe equity doesn’t emerge from intention alone; it’s built through systems that see, support, and scale women’s potential. #WomensEquity #GenderInclusion #UNWomenIndia #RizingHer #WomenInPolicy #EquityInAction #InclusiveGrowth #WomenLeadership

Our partnership with Together Women Rise is one that seeks to empower young women in Turkana, Kenya with certified digital literacy and STEM skills that open doors to male-dominated fields while rewriting societal expectations. This speaks directly to our mission of transforming the lives of women and youth through education, equipping them with the confidence, skills, and opportunities to shape their own futures and their communities. Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/dffgnqEz #AsanteAfrica #TogetherWomenRise #GirlsInSTEM #WomenEmpowerment #EducationForAll

Excited to announce that I've just wrapped up a transformative 3-week Capacity Building Training Workshop on Gender Transformative Programming. This experience has equipped me with essential tools to drive more equitable and impactful initiatives in my work and beyond. Here's a snapshot of the key insights I gained: 1. Gender Analysis: Deep dives into examining women's and men's access to and control over resources, uncovering hidden disparities. 2. Gender Inclusivity: Strategies for ensuring men and women are equally valued and integrated as key players in all projects. 3. Gender Balance: Achieving equitable representation of women and men across all organizational levels to foster diverse perspectives. 4. Gender Responsive Programming: Tailoring programs to address the unique roles, relations, needs, and interests of women, men, girls, and boys -meeting immediate needs while advancing equal rights, opportunities, and outcomes. 5. Gender Transformative Approaches: Bold efforts to challenge and shift harmful gender and social norms, tackling inequalities at their root. 6. M&E for Gender Transformative Programming: Practical methods to monitor progress, measure outcomes, and evaluate impact, ensuring programs dynamically respond to evolving gender realities. I look forward to putting this knowledge into action in my dedication to champion for women empowerment in digital skills and apply responsive M&E frameworks to track how our initiatives empower underrepresented groups in Kenya’s digital economy. Grateful to the APHRC for this opportunity to grow and contribute to positive change. #GenderEquality #ProfessionalDevelopment #AjiraDigital #TransformativeLeadership

🌍 10 Powerful Wins for Women in 2025 2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for women — in education, leadership, and influence across every sector. Here are some of the biggest wins worth celebrating 👇 1️⃣ Girls are outperforming globally in education. In most regions, girls now score higher in reading, writing, and even science. In two-thirds of countries, more girls than boys complete secondary school. 2️⃣ Record-breaking women in politics. More women than ever are running for office, with historic numbers of candidates across Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Youth-led feminist movements are driving this change. 3️⃣ Women are leading the climate fight. The 2025 UN Climate Council is now 50% women-led — the highest in history. Indigenous women are being recognised as global climate defenders. 4️⃣ STEM education for girls is rising fast. Enrollment in tech bootcamps, engineering schools, and coding camps has nearly doubled since 2020. Countries like India, Brazil, and Kenya are leading the shift. 5️⃣ Global female literacy just hit 91%. A massive leap from just 63% in the 1970s. Today, young women (15–24) are more literate than men in many countries. 6️⃣ Legal protections are expanding. Over 50 countries have passed new laws in 2024–2025 to protect women from violence, harassment, and economic discrimination. 7️⃣ Maternal mortality dropped by 35% in a decade. Thanks to improved healthcare, education, and community-led initiatives, more births are now attended by skilled health workers. 8️⃣ Social media is amplifying women’s voices. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are powering women-led movements, changing laws, exposing abuse, and building global communities. 9️⃣ Women are dominating entrepreneurship growth. In Africa, women own nearly 60% of small businesses, and globally, women-led startups are growing faster than men’s. 🔟 Global sisterhood is stronger than ever. From Malala to Chimamanda to everyday women using their voices online, women are inspiring each other across borders like never before. 💬 Here’s to a world where progress isn’t just visible — it’s unstoppable. #WomenInLeadership #GenderEquality #Empowerment #STEM #WomenInBusiness #ClimateAction #EducationForAll

🌍 10 encouraging signs of progress for women worldwide (2025) (Because we should hear this more often.) Across the globe, 2025 continues to bring progress for women — in education, leadership, and innovation. ✨ Girls are thriving in education. In most countries, girls outperform boys in reading and literacy, and more young women are completing secondary school than ever before. ✨ Women’s political participation keeps growing. More women are running for office in several regions, and the share of women in parliaments worldwide has reached over 27%. ✨ Women are taking stronger roles in climate action. Around 40% of leadership positions in UN climate bodies are now held by women — an all-time high — and Indigenous women are increasingly recognized as key environmental defenders. ✨ STEM opportunities for girls are expanding. Participation of girls in coding and engineering programs has grown significantly since 2020, with countries like India, Brazil and Kenya leading this change. ✨ Young women’s literacy has reached record levels. Globally, over 92% of young women (ages 15–24) can now read and write — compared to only 63% in the 1970s. ✨ Legal reforms continue to advance gender equality. Dozens of countries have adopted new or stronger laws protecting women from violence, harassment and discrimination in recent years. ✨ Maternal mortality keeps declining. Since 2000, global maternal deaths have dropped by about 40% thanks to better healthcare access and education. ✨ Social media gives women new voices. Digital platforms help women advocate for rights, launch businesses, and connect movements across borders — while also prompting global discussions on online safety. ✨ Women entrepreneurs are driving growth. Africa now has one of the highest rates of female entrepreneurship in the world, and globally, women-led startups are growing faster than ever. ✨ Global sisterhood is rising. From Malala to Chimamanda to everyday women making change — inspiration is crossing borders and strengthening solidarity. Progress worth celebrating — and protecting. Because when women rise, everyone rises. 🌏💪 #GlobalSisterhood #SheLeads #WomenInLeadership #Empowerment #GenderEquality #Inspiration #WomenSupportingWomen