KARACHI: The 14th International Women Leaders` Summit 2025 hosted a medley of business professionals from various industries to discuss the important yet overlooked role of women in business.The event, organised by New World Concepts, which is a corporate marketing and management consultancy based in Karachi, featured a series of speakers, both national and international, that inspired the audience with tales of hard work, self-belief and above all, resilience. Several panel discussions by industry experts breaking down the major issues and barriers that women continue to face in their professional lives also took place.

After New World Concepts CEO Yasmeen Hyder`s opening address, speakers took to stage tovolley the ideas of `never giving up` and `speaking out for yourself` to overcome the emotional, societal, and financial barriers that prevent women from excelling.

Perseverance is a great strength, a conclusion driven home by speaker Asma Sheikh, acting vice president and director general of the Asian InfrastructureInvestment Bank, shaped by her journey through grief after losing her husband about a decade ago.

She reminisced: `I got myself together, because I could see my sons becoming more and more depressed. My eldest wasconsidering holding off going to college to take care of me. That was when I snapped out of it. I told them `I`m going to work; you don`t have to worry about me`.` Out of a devastating loss came the courage to do more and `celebrate life` a point she reiterated several times.

Shamama-tul Amber Arbab, Director of OGDCL, doubled down on the importance of resilience in the face of the subtle and often not-sosubtle social barriers. She urged that one must skirt the fear-inducing `log kiya kahen gai` by building oneself up quietly and steadfastly to reach a position where you don`t have to worry about the external barriers anymore.

Fauzia Kehar, also shared her story of defying the odds and making it out of her namesake vil-lage to study in the UK and work abroad despite familial restriction. `I was brought up in a very patriarchal family that put money aside to send my male cousins abroad, but I was meant to stay back in Pakistan.` Ms Kehar completed her Master`s in Law degree after successfully earning the Chevening scholarship.

Despite evident capabilities, women have yet to be significantly involved in executive roles.

Globally it has been estimated that only 23 per cent of women hold board position as of 2025.

The difficult and sadly universal socially entrenched discrimination was addressed by Esra Kivrak, board member, Turkiye, who admitted to unconscious gender discrimination when subjects like travelling arise.`We are all guilty of it. For however much men create barriers for women, other women are also some of the biggest obstacles.

According to some studies, she shared, it was found that mothers tend to hold back their daughters the most, not out of malice but simply to protect them; a sweet if misguided sentiment that has alas done more harm than good.

The importance of building leadership qualities at an early age was also highlighted. Lucia Egea, Vice Dean of IE Business School in Madrid, explained: `Till the age of six, we believe we are equal but after six, we start to think of ourselves as less than our male counterparts.` The question `who am I?` becomes distorted due not only to external factorsbut a dangerously `limiting belief` leading women to step on their own toes.

According to a HewlettPacker study, men are quick to apply for a job if they meet only 60 per cent of the criteria, while women only apply if they meet the qualification 100pc further highlighting the impossible standards they impose on themselves.

Moreover, Sarwat Gillani and Ms Hyder honoured athletes from the SpecialOlympicsPakistan highlighting sports as a quintessential factor in early development making leadership skills, teamworking abilities, and strategy development much easier for young girls.

A keen advocate of women`s sports, Ms Hyder recountedheryouthspent playing all manner of sports including competi-tive javelin throwing and the important life skills they taught her including the importance of strategy and teamwork.

A series of panel discussions involving the likes of Akbar Zaidi, H.E. Georg Steiner, Lucia Egea, Nousheen Ahmed, Muhammad Ali Ahmed, Cheryl Edison, Dr Zainab Samad and others tackled subjects like women`s health, financial literacy and investments, and how to develop resilience.

In essence, the discussions called for active cooperation of multinational corporations, the government, and leaders of the community in creating the ideal environment to uplift and encourage the `whole woman` employee, mother, wife, CEO to partake and thrive in the formal workforce.