International Women’s Day (IWD)—a day of celebration, hashtags, and well-meaning speeches about progress. But beyond the carefully curated marketing campaigns and panel discussions, there’s a bigger conversation to be had: Who are we celebrating? If we’re truly championing empowerment for all women, how do we ensure that empowerment reaches across cultures, industries, and realities?

When we picture women’s progress, what comes to mind? A sharp-suited businesswoman taking her seat at the table? A creative leader shaping culture and pushing boundaries? These are powerful milestones, and they deserve recognition. But women’s progress isn’t one-size-fits-all. It can’t be.

Across the world, in the Pacific, Africa, Asia, and beyond, women are leading in ways that don’t always fit the Western mould of success. Their impact is deeply woven into their communities, where tradition and progress exist side by side. In the Pacific, for example, women have long been the backbone of cultural preservation and leadership. Their progress isn’t just about breaking glass ceilings, it’s about strengthening the foundations that generations stand on and redefining what success looks like. It’s rooted in the land, the ocean, and the cultures that have existed for centuries—cultures that have always known women as warriors, healers, leaders, and nurturers all at once.

So if we’re serious about empowerment, we need to expand our lens. Take the fashion industry: Indigenous designs and cultural elements often find their way into collections, celebrated for their beauty but disconnected from their origins. Too often, these cultures are referenced without true collaboration, leaving behind the very women who sustain them. If recognition is only given to those who translate these traditions into mainstream success, then who is really being empowered?

True progress means moving beyond symbolic representation and engaging in ethical partnerships, ones where Indigenous women are not just acknowledged but actively involved, credited, and supported. It’s about seeing cultural heritage not as a trend, but as a living, breathing legacy that deserves respect.

Women’s empowerment should be as diverse as the women driving it forward. That means celebrating different forms of leadership, creativity, and success, not just the ones that fit a familiar narrative. It means ensuring that when we uplift women, we’re doing so in a way that honours their voices, their work, and their right to define progress on their own terms.

So as we celebrate IWD, let’s think beyond a single narrative. Let’s listen to the women whose stories don’t always make the headlines. Because real empowerment isn’t just about who gets a seat at the table—it’s about who gets to build it.