It’s 2025 and so many things have changed, improving our day to day lives, but women globally continue to face significant challenges, including pay inequality, racial injustice, healthcare disparities, and discrimination.

UN Women projects that, if current trends continue, over 340 million women and girls will live in extreme poverty by 2030. According to the 2023 edition of Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023, “only 61 percent of prime working-age women participate in the labor force, compared to 91 percent of prime working-age men.” The report also noted that “in 2019, for each dollar men earned in labor income, women earned only 51 cents.”

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) advocates for women’s rights, aiming for equitable opportunities free from gender bias. Recognizing that women’s empowerment requires collective action, SM Supermalls is hosting the “Women Inspiring Women” forum at Samsung Hall, SM Aura, on March 7. The event will feature 14 speakers sharing insights on leadership, inclusivity, and equal opportunities, among others. Manila Bulletin Lifestyle interviewed some panelists, asking: What would make life better for women today? 

More balance and more understanding of what we actually deal with. We’re running households, helping with homework, working full-time, and still expected to do it all perfectly. What we really need is support, not pressure, more flexibility, more help, and the space to succeed without feeling like we’re failing somewhere else. —Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez,BLK and Happy Skin, co-founder and CEO

Women’s lives would drastically improve if we had full autonomy over our sexual selves, our bodies, our pleasure, our choices. This means better sex education, access to reproductive healthcare, and the normalization of conversations around sex. Too many women still feel disconnected from their own bodies due to centuries of conditioning that told us our sexuality doesn’t matter. But when we embrace and own our sexual selves, we tap into a deeper power, one that fuels confidence, strengthens relationships, and allows us to uplift others. —Rica Cruz, Unprude founder and CEO

Life for women would be better if there are equal opportunities for women across all sectors to thrive. While society has definitely progressed to be more accepting of women in a wider variety of roles, there are stigmas or negative biases against women still present within certain segments or industries, and there needs to be a greater push in terms of policy and culture to ensure equality and equity for all genders. —Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo, Wildflour Hospitality Group CEO

The digital divide remains a challenge, especially in rural areas of the Philippines, where limited infrastructure keeps many women from accessing opportunities online. Bridging this gap isn’t just about connectivity. It’s about unlocking potential. As a woman in tech, I see firsthand how digital literacy and access can change lives. When women have the skills and tools to navigate the digital world, they also gain new ways to earn, create, and thrive. We’ve seen stay-at-home mothers turn into entrepreneurs, using platforms like Canva to build businesses from home. With the abundance of resources and options today, women shouldn’t have to choose between making a home and making a living. With the right resources, they can do both, and more. —Yani Hornilla-Donato, Canva Southeast Asia Regional lead. 

While progress has been made, the gap between women with equality and those without is widening. True progress means advocating for safety, respect, and equal opportunities for all women, regardless of their background. —Jica Sy, SM Group Sustainability Champion

Not feeling like we have to fit into traditional standards or stereotypes—and realizing that we can make that mental shift ourselves. My customers and clients liked me even more when I wasn’t pretending—because I was different, memorable, and had my own unique strengths. Not a stereotype.

Give more women a seat at the table—or even better, a platform to share their voice. When I started my business, BackScoop, I was 19 years old with barely any experience in my industry. Many people invited me to coffee chats—executives, business owners, and investors with years of experience.

And soon after, I was given opportunities to moderate and speak at events when I was 20 years old. As a young woman who had just started her business, it meant a lot to me. Because of these coffee chats and opportunities given to me by many supportive men and women, I told myself: If these people believe in me, what reason do I have not to believe in myself?—Amanda Cua, BackScoop founder. 

Joining Jacqe, Rica, Ana, Yani, Amanda, and Jica at the “Women Inspiring Women” forum are author Gina Consing-McAdam, Canon Europe ambassador Chiara Negrello, Isabela City mayor Sitti Djalia Hataman, DTI undersecretary Blesila Lantayona, Connected Women co-founder Gina Romero, Canva Philippines’ Maisie Littaua, and Philippine Commission on Women chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla. Hosting the forum is UN Women Goodwill ambassador Karen Davila, with special guest BDO brand ambassador Small Laude.

SM Supermalls’ “Women Inspiring Women” forum is free and open to the public. Register now by signing up here.