International Women’s Day and the Question of Progress
- Mar 21, 2025
- 7 min read
Gillian is Managing Director of Emerge Development Consultancy, which she founded 28 years ago. She is a Master Executive Coach working with many CEOs and managing Directors globally. She is also an international speaker and, in 2020, was named by f: Entrepreneur as one of the leading UK Female Entrepreneurs in the I also campaign. In 2023, she was named Leader of the Year by the Women’s Business Club. In 2024 she was named as Businesswoman of the Decade.
Every year on March 8th, the world turns its attention to gender equality. International Women’s Day (IWD) brings with it a flurry of corporate events, panel discussions, social media campaigns, and speeches that highlight the progress made and the work still to do. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks delivering presentations to groups of wonderful women and have also had some male allies in the audiences. I have had the privilege of supporting the launch of a Women’s Network at a major football club, where we had 50% attendance by men, discussions on sexual safety for women in the defense industry at an airbase, where senior men supported, a wonderful event at an online digital content magazine house, which also included men, and delivered several webinars. The events have been well-attended and uplifting, often with great actions emerging so clearly that they worked well.
But despite the great feedback, the hashtags, and the well-meaning initiatives, the pace of change remains frustratingly slow. Why? And more importantly, what needs to happen to accelerate real progress?
The stagnation of progress
So, what is really happening? Despite ongoing efforts to promote gender equality, progress remains uneven and, in some areas, alarmingly stagnant. Here are some compelling statistics that we need to consider, which highlight the current state of gender equality and the challenges for women today:
According to Wikipedia
A continuing global gender gap persistence: As of 2023, it is projected that it will take over 131 years to close the global gender gap, clearly underscoring the slow pace of progress.
Only marginal increases in political representation: Women hold only 26.5% of parliamentary seats worldwide, reflecting a slight increase from 25.5% in 2021.
Ministerial positions: Globally, women occupy just 22.8% of cabinet minister roles, with significant regional disparities; for instance, only 8.1% of such positions are held by women in the Pacific Islands.
Corporate leadership: In G20 countries, women hold only 10.7% of executive decision-making power, despite representing 15.9% of executive positions. This is a clear indication of a significant power gap.
A massive increase in violence against women: Cases of sexual violence due to conflict against women and girls have surged by 50% since 2022, highlighting increasing safety concerns. We still see many high-profile cases in the news, including the horrific Dominique Peloton inquiry.
According to AP news
There is significant backsliding in women's rights: Nearly 25% of governments have reported setbacks in women's rights, indicating that progress is not only stalling but, in some cases, reversing.
Health and survival rates are not improving: Gender disparities in health outcomes persist, with women in some regions facing higher mortality rates due to inadequate healthcare access, gender-based violence, and a lack of belief in women, particularly Black women, during pregnancy.
The Financial Times states that
Significant barriers in economic participation: Women continue to face tough challenges in economic participation, with persistent gender pay gaps and underrepresentation in high-skilled employment sectors.
The educational attainment disparity: While there have been improvements in women's access to education, there are still concerning discrepancies in certain regions and fields, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
And very worryingly,
The public perception of feminism is being eroded: There is a growing sentiment among young men in certain regions that feminism is detrimental to men, indicating challenges in garnering widespread support for gender equality initiatives.
These statistics underscore the critical need for renewed and concerted efforts to address gender inequalities across various sectors globally.
On paper, things look promising. More organizations are implementing gender equity strategies. More women are stepping into leadership positions. Policies around parental leave, flexible work, and pay transparency are being discussed and, in many cases, implemented.
And we must remember the progress that is being made with the Workers Protection Amendment Act. We are seeing organizations taking this very seriously and implementing appropriate training and risk assessments to ensure that women are protected from sexual harassment.
Yet, in many workplaces, the glass ceiling remains impermeable. Women continue to face disproportionate barriers to advancement, experience higher levels of workplace harassment, and bear the brunt of unpaid labor at home. Despite decades of discussion, we seem to be treading water rather than surging ahead.
If we are to see real, measurable change, we need to do more than just acknowledge the issues. However, women cannot solve this problem alone; therefore, a big part of the solution is male allyship.
The male allyship dilemma
At every event I speak at about male allyship, I see a pattern. The men in the room are generally the kind, thoughtful, self-aware individuals who already understand the importance of gender equity. They probably have daughters, sisters, and partners who are women and want to help create a better world for them. They demonstrate that they want to listen, they are keen to learn, they are actively engaged, and they are grateful for the insights into how women live their lives. Generally, they are already allies or well on their way to becoming them. And whilst this is encouraging, it raises a pressing question: how do we reach the men who really need to hear this message?
The ones who really need to hear it are the men who don’t see the problem, who dismiss gender inequality as a “women’s issue,” who find feminism irritating and boring, and who assume that because they personally don’t discriminate, the workplace must be fair. Some actively resist change, feeling threatened by discussions of male privilege. Others are disengaged, assuming that gender equity is someone else’s fight. These are the men we need to talk to. But how?
Speaking their language
To bring these men into the conversation, we need to frame gender equality in a way that resonates with them. Here’s how we start:
Make it personal
Many men don’t engage with gender issues until they see how it affects their wives, daughters, sisters, or friends. Stories are powerful. Personalising the impact of inequality helps make it real.
Show the business case
Some men will be more persuaded by data than emotion. Research consistently shows that diverse teams perform better, companies with more women in leadership are more profitable, and gender-equal workplaces benefit everyone, including men.
Shift the narrative
Too often, discussions around gender equality focus on what men are doing wrong. Instead, we need to highlight what they can do right. It is critical that they don’t feel attacked. If you frame allyship as an opportunity to be part of a movement that benefits everyone, rather than a burden or a blame game, they are more likely to want to support it.
Create safe spaces for learning
Some men fear engaging in these conversations because they worry about saying the wrong thing. And who can blame them? Press coverage is making it difficult for them to know how to approach women and what is OK to say without crossing boundaries. When we run these workshops, we find it really important to foster environments where men can ask questions, express concerns, and learn without fear of public shaming or feeling demonised.
Encourage peer influence
Many men are more likely to listen to other men than to a diversity consultant or a women’s group. Identifying and equipping influential male champions within organisations to lead the conversation can be the game-changer we are looking for.
Beyond ‘one’ day: From principles to practice
International Women’s Day serves as an important moment of reflection, but it cannot be the only time of year when we talk about gender equality. True progress requires year-round commitment, uncomfortable conversations, and structural change. It requires men, not just the ones who already “get it” but the ones who still need to understand, to step up, speak out, and take action.
If we truly want to shift the dial, we must move beyond performative gestures and towards deep, systemic change. That means policies with teeth. It means accountability for workplace culture. It means ensuring men understand that gender equality isn’t about taking something away from them but about creating a fairer, better world for all of us. It also means the men at the top of the organisation setting an example by actively demonstrating their own allyship.
So, next time you host a talk on male allyship, challenge yourself: how do you get the men who most need to hear it into the room? Because when they start listening, real change can finally begin. Let’s continue to celebrate International Women’s Day, but hopefully next year with some progressive statistics that demonstrate we are reducing the time it will take to get to gender parity.
Read more from Gillian Jones-Williams
Gillian Jones-Williams, Emerge Development Consultancy
Gillian Managing Director of Emerge Development Consultancy which she founded 28 years ago. She is a Master Executive Coach working with many CEOs and managing Directors globally. She is also an international speaker and in 2020 was named by f: Entrepreneur as one of the leading UK Female Entrepreneurs in the I also campaign. In 2023 she was named as Leader of the Year by the Women’s Business Club, and has just been named as Businesswoman of the Decade is the Best Businesswomen awards.
Gillian founded the RISE Women’s Development Programme which is delivered both in the UK and the Middle East, and Saudi and is her absolute passion.
She is also the co-author of How to Create a Coaching Culture, 50 Top Tools for Coaching, and the author of Locked Down but Not Out which is a diary of the first 3 months of the pandemic to raise money for the bereaved families of the NHS workers who died during COVID-19.
Emerge specialise in Early Careers Programmes and creating the best environment for graduates and apprentices to maximise their potential. If you want to know more about this support of any of our other training and development solutions, please do contact us on 01329 820580 or via info@emergeuk.com.
