As the world marked women’s contributions across spheres, The Manila Times convened its annual Women’s Circle Forum, bringing together female leaders to share their experiences with young girls and aspiring professionals.

The forum centered on issues of gender equality, inclusivity and women’s empowerment — areas seen as essential to building environments where women can participate and lead. Discussions also underscored the importance of economic self-reliance, access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and efforts to address violence against women, framing these as key to fostering accountability and equitable opportunities across sectors.