A New Club of the Same Journey

Leadership is never about holding a position forever. It is about knowing when to build, when to encourage others to lead, and when to step aside with confidence that the work will continue to flourish.

As I conclude my time as Lead of the Women on the Move Committee, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who placed their trust in me over the past years. It has been both a privilege and a joy to use my position to research and write articles (hopefully of value to readers) and to work alongside remarkable women whose experiences, ideas, and commitment have continually reminded me why this committee matters.

Women on the Move has always been about much more than migration. It is about the journeys women make throughout their lives—across countries, careers, cultures, communities, and sometimes simply into a new chapter of themselves. Whether we relocate for opportunity, family, education, safety, or service, movement is often accompanied by courage, resilience, uncertainty, and hope.

One of the greatest gifts of leading this committee has been hearing the stories of women whose paths have been very different, yet whose aspirations have been remarkably similar. We all seek opportunity, belonging, dignity, friendship, and the chance to contribute our talents to the communities we join.

It is therefore with great pleasure that I introduce our new Committee Lead, Elle Amani.

Elle embodies many of the values that have shaped Women on the Move from its beginning.

As a fashion designer, she brings together artistry and purpose, celebrating the creativity of artisans and migrant women from around the world by incorporating their craftsmanship into contemporary design. In doing so, she not only creates beautiful collections but also shines a light on generations of skill, culture, and tradition that deserve to be recognized and valued.

What I admire most about Elle is not simply her creativity, but her vision.

She believes that fashion can tell stories, preserve heritage, create opportunity, and build connections across cultures.

She approaches her work with respect for women of every background, every ethnicity, every age, every size, and every stage of life. In an industry often defined by narrow standards, she reminds us that beauty is enriched by diversity and strengthened through inclusion.

As she continues to establish herself in the demanding world of international fashion, she brings with her a generosity of spirit that I know will serve this committee well. I have complete confidence in her leadership and in the exciting future that lies ahead for Women on the Move under her guidance.

Transitions are important moments in every organization. They remind us that while leaders change, the mission continues. Every person who has contributed to this committee has helped build a foundation upon which others can now create something new. That continuity is one of the greatest strengths of NFBPWC.

Although I am stepping aside as Committee Lead, I am certainly not stepping away from the work or from the friendships that have grown through it.

Women on the Move has become an important part of my own journey, and I look forward to supporting Elle, celebrating the committee's achievements, and watching new ideas emerge under her leadership.

I also encourage each of you to continue sharing your experiences, your expertise, and your stories.

Our committees are strongest when many voices contribute. Whether you have moved across continents or across town, changed careers, started a business, returned to education, or simply embraced a new season of life, your story has the power to encourage another woman who may be standing at the beginning of her own journey.

With great optimism, I invite you to join me in welcoming this new chapter.

Please offer Elle the same generosity, support, and confidence that you so graciously extended to me. I hope you will walk beside her, contribute your ideas, and continue helping Women on the Move grow into an even stronger and more vibrant part of NFBPWC.

Every journey continues because someone is willing to take the next step. I am excited to see where this next one will lead.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Co-Chair Women on the Move

Women on the Move: Looking Forward Together

First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Nermin Ahmad, our outgoing chair, for her exceptional leadership, dedication, and friendship.

Through her thoughtful articles, research, projects and unwavering commitment, she has strengthened the Women on the Move Committee and reminded us that every woman's journey is unique, yet every journey deserves opportunity, encouragement, and support.

Nermin has built a wonderful foundation for this committee and I am incredibly grateful that I can continue to work alongside her. Her guidance, wisdom, and passion for empowering women have inspired me, and I look forward to building upon the meaningful work she has already accomplished.

I would also like to thank the Executive Committee for entrusting me with the privilege of serving as Chair of Women on the Move. I accept this role with both humility and excitement.

Although my professional background is in fashion as the founder and creative director of Azaadi, my passion has always been about something much greater: creating opportunities for women.

Throughout my own journey, I have come to believe that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not always. Sometimes all a woman needs is someone willing to open a door, offer encouragement, or believe in her potential. That belief is what drew me to Women on the Move.

Over the next two years, I hope we can continue strengthening the incredible work already being done while exploring new ways to connect women with mentorship, professional development, entrepreneurship, and other meaningful opportunities. I would love to see us build even stronger connections across our BPW clubs and around the world, sharing resources, celebrating one another's achievements, and helping women who are rebuilding careers, starting businesses, or creating new lives, feel supported and empowered.

As we celebrate Women's Equality Day, we honor the women whose courage secured the right to vote through the 19th Amendment. Their legacy reminds us that equality is not simply about opening doors; it is about ensuring every woman has the opportunity and support to walk confidently through them. I believe that is the spirit of Women on the Move.

I look forward to meeting many of you in the months ahead and hope you will share your ideas, your experiences, and your stories with me. Together, I believe we can continue building a committee that not only supports women on their journeys but helps them discover new opportunities wherever those journeys may lead.

Thank you for welcoming me into this role. I am excited for all that we will accomplish together.

Elle Amani
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

The Lost Art of Intergenerational Conversation

Many people misunderstand the purpose of this Committee. They assume it applies only to migrant women or specific populations. It does not. It is for all women who are navigating change, transition, and what I would call their real beginnings—whether at the start of adulthood, mid-career

At its heart, this Committee is about something very simple: the need for honest, safe conversation with someone slightly further along the road.

There was a time when that conversation happened naturally. In my own family, knowledge passed not in lectures, but in dialogue. We read the same books across generations—but in different languages and editions.

My mother would read in German, my grandmother in French or Russian, and I would read in English. We would sit together and discuss works like The Tin Drum (Günter Grass, 1959), Antigone (Jean Anouih, 1944), One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, 1966), or Our Town (Thornton Wilder, 1938). My father would guide me through Shakespeare or Stendhal.

We did not agree in any simple sense. That was not the point. We learned to see the same story from multiple lives lived differently. It shaped how I approached everything afterwards: not with a single answer, but with multiple perspectives. That kind of intergenerational exchange seems much rarer today.

Families are still loving. But the structure has changed. Many young women no longer grow up in close proximity to older generations who can speak openly about failure, reinvention, grief, or work. And many older women no longer have natural opportunities to pass on what they have learned in ways that feel relevant. What is often missing is not information—but interpretation.

Sometimes, a single conversation can change the way someone understands their own life.

No one tells you what it actually feels like to enter the working world. No one explains that education is not a direct pipeline into a profession, but a toolkit that only becomes meaningful through application. No one tells you that most professional success is not about theory, but about execution, timing, relationships, and resilience. And so, people arrive at adulthood highly educated, but under-conversationally prepared.

This gap matters.

Because many of the real questions people carry are not technical questions. They are human ones.

What does success actually feel like? For me, it became simple: a thoughtful team, a satisfied client, and work that people were willing to return to the next day.

How do you know when you are becoming the person you hoped to be?

In my case, it was not immediate. It came through loss—through grief, and through a period of professional transition. I learned that identity is not a fixed state. It is something revealed over time, often under pressure.

How do you survive disappointment?

Not by avoiding it. And not by reacting in anger. But by examining it—what happened, why it happened, and what might be learned without turning it into self-blame.

Grief is different again. It does not follow a straight line. It changes shape over time. It is also profoundly isolating, even when others are grieving alongside you. I once believed I could understand and manage grief intellectually. Life proved otherwise. It must be lived, not solved.

In earlier generations, such conversations were more common. Friends and family could ask difficult questions openly. There was space for uncertainty without performance.

Today, that space is often missing. Which is why intergenerational conversation matters so deeply. It is not nostalgia. It is infrastructure.

A way of helping people think more clearly about their own lives, not by giving them answers, but by offering perspective.

So, I return to the questions: Who has shaped your thinking, and who might still be waiting for a conversation with you?

Because what we often need is not advice, but a bridge—between where we are and where we are trying to go. Perhaps that is the real purpose of this Committee: not to explain women’s experience, but to restore the conversations that make experience usable.

Sometimes, a single conversation can change the way someone understands their own life.

And sometimes, that is enough to change everything that follows.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

Call to Action to NFBPWC and BPW International Members

• Advocate for gender-responsive migration policies that explicitly recognize business and professional women migrants as economic actors, entrepreneurs, and leaders, not only as vulnerable groups.
• Promote mutual recognition of qualifications, improved access to finance, and removal of structural barriers that limit career progression and business development for internationally mobile women.
• Engage with governments and UN processes to strengthen safe and regular migration pathways that support skilled mobility and entrepreneurship.
• Partner with chambers of commerce, employers, universities, and migrant-led organizations to mentor and support migrant women professionals and entrepreneurs.
• Ensure migrant women’s voices are represented in national and international policy discussions on migration, labor mobility, and economic development.

The second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF), held at the United Nations in May, reviewed global progress on implementing the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM). The forum brought together governments, UN agencies, civil society, employers, and migrant-led organizations to assess how migration governance is evolving in a period marked by economic uncertainty, demographic change, and increasing political polarization.

Overall, the IMRF reaffirmed that migration remains a core issue for international cooperation, but it also revealed widening differences in how states interpret its priorities. The resulting Progress Declaration was adopted, yet it reflected significant compromises between countries emphasizing human rights, development, and mobility, and those prioritizing sovereignty, border management, and domestic political considerations.

A key positive outcome was the continued commitment by many states to multilateral migration governance. A broad coalition—including countries such as Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, and Finland, alongside many African, Asian, and Latin American states—reaffirmed support for the GCM framework.

These governments emphasized that migration is a structural feature of the global economy and requires coordinated approaches that facilitate safe pathways, labor mobility, and protection mechanisms while respecting national sovereignty.

Labor-sending countries such as Bangladesh, the Philippines, Mexico, Morocco, Kenya, and Colombia highlighted the importance of migration for development through remittances, skills transfer, and employment opportunities abroad. They consistently called for safer and more regular migration pathways, improved protections for migrant workers, and stronger safeguards against exploitation in recruitment and employment systems.

The forum also reinforced commitments to migrant access to essential services, particularly healthcare.

The declaration reaffirmed support for migrant-inclusive health systems and continuity of care, recognizing that exclusion from healthcare has both human rights and public health implications. Broader discussions also covered ethical recruitment, trafficking prevention, climate-related displacement, and the role of local governments in integration.

A significant but still underdeveloped theme throughout the IMRF was the situation of women migrants, including business and professional women, skilled workers, and entrepreneurs. While there was no dedicated framework for migrant women entrepreneurs, gender-responsive migration governance was repeatedly referenced in side events and advocacy interventions.

Women now represent a substantial share of global migrants and contribute across sectors including healthcare, education, business, finance, and professional services.

However, participants highlighted persistent structural barriers affecting women migrants, particularly those in professional and entrepreneurial pathways.

These include:

• limited recognition of foreign qualifications,
• restricted access to capital and credit,
• visa and mobility constraints,
• unequal caregiving responsibilities,
• and reduced access to senior professional networks and leadership opportunities.

For business and professional women migrants, these barriers often compound, limiting career continuity and business scalability despite high levels of skills and experience.

Civil society organizations emphasized the need to move beyond viewing migrant women primarily through a vulnerability lens. They called for recognition of women migrants as economic actors, entrepreneurs, employers, and contributors to innovation and growth instead.

This approach includes better alignment between migration policy, labor market systems, and entrepreneurship support ecosystems, particularly for internationally mobile women professionals.

At the same time, the IMRF exposed growing tensions in global migration governance. Many civil society groups and labor organizations expressed concern that the final declaration did not sufficiently strengthen protections for migrant workers, and that rights-based language was weakened during negotiations.

There were concerns that migration governance is increasingly shifting toward a more enforcement- and management-focused model rather than a rights-centered one.

State positions also reflected increasing divergence. Many European countries have moved toward a “managed migration” approach that combines support for international cooperation with stronger emphasis on border control, irregular migration reduction, and return policies.

Countries such as Austria, Denmark, Italy, Poland, and Slovakia exemplify this trend, remaining engaged in multilateral processes while prioritizing domestic control and political sustainability in migration policy.

A smaller group of states has adopted a more sovereignty-centered approach, emphasizing national authority over migration policy and expressing skepticism toward international frameworks perceived as constraining domestic decision-making.

The United States announced it would not endorse the final Progress Declaration, citing concerns related to sovereignty and national migration priorities, while reaffirming that migration policy should remain primarily a national competence.

Hungary similarly maintained its long-standing opposition to the Global Compact framework, emphasizing strict national control over migration governance.

These positions reflect an increasingly fragmented global landscape with three broad approaches:

• states strongly supportive of multilateral, rights-based migration governance
• a large pragmatic group balancing cooperation with stronger enforcement priorities
• a smaller group prioritizing national sovereignty and limiting engagement with global migration frameworks.

The non-binding nature of the Global Compact continues to enable broad participation but limits enforceability and accountability. As a result, the IMRF produces shared principles and guidance rather than binding commitments, leaving implementation uneven across regions.

Despite these challenges, migration remains deeply connected to global economic systems, including:

• labor markets,
• demographic planning,
• and increasing entrepreneurship and innovation.

Within this broader context, business and professional women migrants represent a growing but still under-recognized group whose contributions are central to global competitiveness and development. Their experiences highlight the gap between policy recognition of skills-based migration and the practical barriers that continue to limit mobility, opportunity, and economic advancement.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

Maintaining Mental Wellness When You’re a Woman on the Move

Women who balance careers, family life, and geographic moves often operate in a near-constant state of transition.

Each role is demanding enough; combined, they stretch emotional bandwidth, disrupt routines, and challenge a sense of identity and stability. Mental wellness in this context isn’t about eliminating stress, but about building systems, habits, and support structures that allow you to function, adapt, and even grow through change.

One of the most important anchors during periods of movement is a sense of continuity. When everything external is shifting—new home, new workplace, new schools—internal consistency becomes essential.

Simple daily rituals can provide that. This might be a morning routine that travels with you regardless of location, a short walk at the same time each day, or even a consistent way you start your workday. These small acts signal to your mind that not everything is in flux, reducing anxiety and decision fatigue while reinforcing a sense of control.

Equally important is redefining what “balance” realistically looks like. For women managing multiple responsibilities, balance is rarely a static or equal distribution of time and energy. It’s dynamic and often seasonal. Some weeks, work will demand more; at other times, family needs will take priority. Add relocation into the mix, and flexibility becomes even more critical.

Rather than striving for perfection in all areas, it’s more sustainable to adopt a “good enough for now” approach. This shift reduces pressure and allows for a more compassionate, realistic assessment of what success looks like in any given moment.

Transitions also tend to disrupt social networks, which are a cornerstone of mental wellness.

Moving often means leaving behind established support systems—friends, neighbors, colleagues—and starting from scratch. This can lead to feelings of isolation, even when surrounded by family.

Being intentional about rebuilding connection is critical, and this is where structured networks can play a powerful role. Organizations like the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs offer an immediate sense of community rooted in shared experience. Instead of arriving in a new location with no professional or social foothold, you step into a network of women who understand the complexities of balancing work, family, and mobility.

• You challenge yourself.
• You become yourself again.

The psychological benefit of this kind of connection should not be underestimated.

Being surrounded by like-minded women helps normalize the challenges you’re facing. The pressures of career progression, caregiving, and relocation can feel isolating, particularly if your immediate environment doesn’t reflect those realities. Within a supportive network, your experiences are more likely to be validated, which reduces self-doubt and reinforces resilience.

Even informal conversations can provide reassurance that you are not navigating these challenges alone.

Mentorship and shared knowledge are equally valuable.

Networks like the NFBPWC include women at different stages of their careers and lives, creating opportunities to learn from those who have already navigated similar transitions. Whether it’s advice on re-establishing a career after a move, managing dual-career households, or finding opportunities in a new city, access to lived experience can significantly reduce uncertainty. It transforms trial-and-error into informed decision-making, conserving both time and emotional energy.

Another often overlooked aspect of mental wellness in this context is decision fatigue.

Relocation and life management involve a constant stream of choices, from logistical details to long-term planning. Over time, this can lead to exhaustion, irritability, and reduced clarity.

One effective strategy is to simplify wherever possible. Standardizing meals during busy periods, limiting non-essential commitments, or delegating tasks within the household can free up mental capacity. It’s not about doing less overall—it’s about preserving your energy for decisions that truly matter.

For women with families, there is also the added emotional labor of supporting others through transitions. Children, partners, and even extended family members often look to you as a stabilizing force. While this role can be deeply meaningful, it can also become draining if it leaves no room for your own emotional needs.

Creating intentional space for personal processing is essential. This might take the form of journaling, therapy, or simply carving out uninterrupted time to reflect.

Acknowledging your own stress does not diminish your strength; it enhances your ability to show up for others with clarity and patience.

Physical well-being remains closely tied to mental health, though it is often the first thing to be deprioritized during busy or transitional periods. Regular movement, adequate sleep, and balanced nutrition provide a foundation for resilience. The key is to focus on consistency rather than perfection.

A short daily walk, a few minutes of stretching, or protecting your sleep schedule can have a significant positive impact on mood and cognitive function, even when life feels unpredictable.

Periods of transition can also unsettle your sense of identity. Changes in work, community, and environment may prompt the question:

“Who am I in this new context?”

Rather than viewing relocation as a reset, it can be helpful to see it as an expansion. Your identity is not erased by change; it evolves. Reflecting on what remains constant—your values, strengths, and priorities—can provide a steady internal reference point, even as external circumstances shift.

Professional and advocacy-oriented networks can reinforce this sense of continuity. Being part of an organization that exists beyond any single location allows you to carry a piece of your professional identity with you wherever you go. Participating in events, contributing to initiatives, or taking on leadership roles can also provide a sense of purpose that complements both work and family life. These engagements create stability not tied to geography, which can be especially grounding during periods of relocation.

Finally, mental wellness in this context requires intentional boundary-setting. When responsibilities are high across multiple domains, personal time can easily disappear.

Protecting even small pockets of time for yourself—without guilt—is essential.

Whether it’s reading, exercising, or simply sitting in quiet, these moments allow your mind to reset and help prevent burnout.

Support networks can also play a role here, reminding you through both example and encouragement that self-care is not indulgent, but necessary.

There is no perfect formula for balancing work, family, and frequent moves.

What works in one phase of life may not work in another. But by focusing on continuity, flexibility, connection, and community—including the strength found in networks such as our National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs—it becomes possible to navigate these demands in a way that supports, rather than depletes, your mental well-being.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

Women on the Move Committee Members:
Diya Adhikari, Nermin Ahmad, Elle Amani, Barbara J. Bozeman, Sujata Tiwari

The New Safety Network: Why Community-Based Apps Like “The Sorority” Matter

For many women—whether professionals commuting late, students on campus, or mothers thinking about their daughters’ independence—safety is no longer something provided by institutions alone. It is increasingly understood as something shared, immediate, and responsive. This shift is driving interest in community-based tools like The Sorority. I was introduced to this application (downloadable at your app store), during CSW70, and have been blown away by its versatility – whether you are a group of friends going on a trip, students at a university, people in a city – it makes you safer.

The concept is simple: if you feel unsafe, you can alert others nearby who are part of the same network. Instead of relying only on formal responders, the app allows users to crowdsource protection in real time. In a world where most people carry smartphones, this is a natural evolution in how safety works.

The value lies in immediacy.

Traditional systems—campus security, police, emergency services—are essential, but they are not always instant. There is often a gap between feeling unsafe and receiving help. A networked app helps close that gap by connecting you to people already nearby. In many situations, the presence of another person—even briefly—can reduce risk and increase confidence.

Just as important is the sense of agency these tools provide. Rather than being passive, users can activate support directly. For professional women used to assessing risk, this is both practical and empowering. It is especially relevant for young adults gaining independence, where confidence and awareness are key. What I like, once you create an account, and prove who you are (the photo and license copy are deleted at once) you can chose to use your own name (or not), and you can decide if you only want to be visible to women, or also to men, or also to non-cis women and men. You can select a number of parameters, according to your preferences and comfort level. Men registering on the app need to go through additional verification processes, so that they cannot try to use the app to annoy women.

This said, the effectiveness of an app like The Sorority depends on how well it is implemented.

First, network density matters. These systems work best when there are enough active users nearby to respond. On college campuses or in urban areas, this creates real potential. Without participation, however, the model weakens quickly.

Second, trust is essential. Users need confidence that those receiving alerts are legitimate and well-intentioned. Clear onboarding, verification, and community standards are critical to maintaining that trust.

Third, clarity in how the app is used makes a difference. Not every alert should signal the same level of urgency. Systems that distinguish between concern, discomfort, and emergency help prevent overuse and ensure meaningful responses.

Integration also matters. Community-based apps are not a replacement for formal safety systems—they are a complement. The strongest approach layers immediate peer support with professional response when needed.

Finally, there is the human factor. Technology connects people, but it is the willingness to respond that makes the system work. Users must see themselves not only as potential recipients of help, but as contributors to others’ safety.

For business and professional women, this represents a meaningful shift. Safety is no longer only about institutions or individual precautions—it is about connected communities. Apps like The Sorority reflect that change, offering a practical way to extend awareness and support into everyday life.

At its best, this model reinforces a simple idea: safety is strongest when it is shared!

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

Violence against women is not confined to one country, culture, or community, or even to one gender.

From the United States to India, South Africa, Nigeria, and Pacific Island nations, women face physical, sexual, and system-ic aggression. Understanding these global experiences not only expands our aware-ness but also provides insight into strate-gies for action and advocacy that can work anywhere and can be implemented in a legal framework.

In the context of UN CSW70, I have ex-plored cross-cultural examples, the role of media in highlighting systemic failures, and lessons for women seeking empower-ment and justice.

1. When Legal Protection Falls Short

Across the world, legal systems often fail to protect people adequately, even when laws exist. In India, for instance, survivors of sexual assault can wait years to see justice. A high-profile case involved a mother and her daughter who endured a decade-long legal battle after a brutal attack. While laws were on their side, the implementation gap—slow courts, bu-reaucratic hurdles, and societal pressure—made legal protection almost symbolic.

Similarly, post-apartheid South Africa has laws against domestic violence and sexual assault, but systemic inequalities, social stigma, and community distrust mean that survivors often cannot rely on timely or effective justice.

Even in today’s New Zealand, Indigenous and Pacific Island women face compound-ed challenges: colonial legacies, cultural marginalization, and under-resourced le-gal support structure, all of which leave survivors without an understanding of available recourse.

Laws alone are not enough. Women and many men everywhere need support networks, advocacy groups, and com-munity allies to make legal rights mean-ingful.

2. Cultural Barriers and Social Norms

Violence is deeply entwined with cultural and social norms. In many communities, silence is expected; speaking out is stigmatized, as a result, women and men are actively discouraged from defending themselves, reporting crimes, or seeking help.

• In South Asia, women may fear honor-based retaliation or family ostracism.
• In certain African contexts, post-colonial power structures perpetuate gen-dered violence and limit access to justice.

Among Pacific Island commu-nities, tradi-tional hierar-chies and in-tergenerational trauma complicate the response to do-mestic violence.

Global awareness can help US audiences understand that victim-blaming and stigma are universal, and that solidari-ty, rather than judgment, is critical. We are watching a significant, but in many ways disconcerting change taking place as the Epstein files unfold. Will there be a backlash, or can this be parlayed into a permanent change?

3. The Power of Storytelling and Film

Cinema and media have become powerful tools for exposing systemic failures and in-spiring action. Beyond documentaries like The Hunting Ground (see Secretary arti-cle pX), international films depict the struggles and re-silience of women:

• India: Damini (1993) shows a woman fighting the legal system after witness-ing a rape, while Uyare (2019) explores a survivor reclaiming life after an acid attack, and Thappad (2020) critiques domestic violence and cultural indifference.
• Nigeria/Nollywood: Dry (2014) depicts child marriage and sexual assault, and Code of Silence (2015) highlights reporting challenges and societal backlash.
• Southeast Asia: 27 Steps of May (Indonesia, 2018) portrays trauma after political violence, while Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (2017) explores revenge and empowerment in a patriarchal setting.

These films illuminate systemic fail-ures, inspire advocacy, and normalize speaking out, offering global audiences relatable frameworks for action.

4. Lessons for U.S. Women

Even though these examples are interna-tional, the lessons are just as relevant at home. How many of us assume all women in the US know their rights, forgetting that many, born here to immigrant families, are subject to more stringent rules than their parents faced growing up.

Legal protection is only as effective as its enforcement

Knowing your rights is vital, but it’s equally important to build community and institutional support.

Cultural norms influence response.

Recognize that silence is often en-forced socially, not just legally. Advo-cacy, storytelling, and allyship can shift norms.

Media and storytelling matter.

Films and documentaries can provide validation, education, and strategic in-sight into action steps.

Support networks save lives.

Whether local NGOs, hotlines, or peer networks, forming a safe-ty net is crucial.

5. Action Without Risk: Global-Inspired Principles

Global examples rein-force the principles we discussed in the U.S. context:

• Safety first: Across cultures, immediate sur-vival and avoiding escala-tion are key.
• Document evidence safely: International NGOs encourage careful documentation as a bridge to justice.
• Seek allies: Survivors in South Africa, India, and the Pacific Islands often rely on advocacy groups or extended family networks to navigate legal systems.
• Empowerment over retaliation: Across contexts, effective action focus-es on regaining agency rather than re-venge.

In all these cases, informed, supported action—not silent endurance—is the path toward empowerment and long-term sys-temic change.

6. Why Global Awareness Matters

US audiences can benefit from a global perspective because it has been imported, and it:

• Highlights systemic similarities: Legal loopholes, victim-blaming, and institutional inertia exist world-wide.
• Inspires creative solutions: From community watch programs to media campaigns and advocacy groups, international strat-egies provide models.
• Builds solidarity: Women realizing they are not alone, even across continents, strengthens resilience and advocacy net-works.

Seeing women in India, Nigeria, or Indonesia act despite risks encourages US women to use their own resources, allies, and legal rights confidently.

7. Takeaway: Action Transcends Borders

Violence against women is universal, but so is resilience. Global examples show that laws are necessary but not sufficient, and action—careful, informed, and supported—empowers women while challenging systemic failures.

Films, documentaries, and advocacy stories provide lessons, not just for awareness but for tangible strategies: speak out, document, connect with support systems, and re-claim agency.

Even in environments with legal protection, but difficult social norms or cultural pressures, taking action responsibly is possible. Silence is safe for systems—but deadly for women and many men.

Across continents and cultures, the message is consistent: empowered action saves lives and challenges injustice.

Further Resources

• International documentaries & advocacy: India’s Daughter, Fighting the Silence
• NGOs with global reach: Amnesty International Women’s Rights Program, Global Citizen, UN Women
• Films for awareness and discussion: Damini, Uyare, Thappad, Dry, Code of Silence, 27 Steps of May, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

From Self Promotion to Knowledge Transmission

Over the past several decades, profession-al women have been encouraged—often aggressively—to “own their power,” culti-vate visibility, and advocate for them-selves in male-dominated environments. This focus on self has been both strategic and necessary. Without it, many women would never have gained access to leader-ship roles, capital, or influence. However, as women advance into senior profession-al stages, the leadership imperative evolves. The question is no longer How do I break through? but What kind of ecosys-tem am I building?

At senior levels, leadership is measured less by personal success and more by suc-cession, sustainability, and the develop-ment of others. In this context, continued self-centering—especially in the form of constant self-referencing, personal brand-ing, and narrative dominance—can quietly undermine the very empowerment profes-sional women claim to champion.

Senior women possess institutional knowledge that cannot be replicated by training programs or leadership seminars. They understand organizational politics, risk management, negotiation dynamics, long-term career trade-offs, and the un-spoken costs of leadership. This knowledge is a strategic asset. Yet it only creates value when it is transferred. Knowledge hoarded, or filtered primarily through self-promotion, loses its leverage.

In professional women’s spaces, a particu-lar leadership failure has become increas-ingly visible: senior women who occupy panels, boards, and executive roles but use these platforms primarily to reinforce their own authority. Conversations be-come autobiographical performances ra-ther than developmental exchanges. Younger professionals are told what the leader endured, achieved, or overcame—but are rarely invited into dialogue, exper-imentation, or authorship of new approaches.

This style of leadership often presents it-self as feminist, yet functions more as gatekeeping. When experience is weapon-ized rather than shared, it creates de-pendency instead of capability. Younger women learn how to defer, not how to lead. In business terms, this is not em-powerment—it is poor talent development.

Effective leadership requires a shift from visibility to multiplication. The strongest executives are not those who dominate conversations, but those who design sys-tems in which others can perform, adapt, and eventually replace them. Leadership that depends on constant self-assertion is fragile. Leadership that builds others is re-silient.

The business environment facing younger women today differs dramatically from that of previous generations. Digital accel-eration, portfolio careers, economic volatility, and blurred boundaries be-tween personal and professional life demand new strategies. Senior women who insist that their path is the definitive model risk becoming irrele-vant. Experience only retains value when it is contextualized, not canonized.

A critical warning is necessary here: when senior women frame dissent as disrespect, or curiosity as ingratitude, innovation stalls. Organizations cannot evolve under leadership that equates authority with infallibility. Professional women who silence young-er perspectives—intentionally or not—reproduce the very hierarchical failures they once challenged.

True feminist lead-ership in business is not performative. It is operational. It shows up in mentorship structures, sponsorship decisions, succession planning, and the willingness to relinquish control. It re-quires senior women to ask not, “How am I being recognized?” but, “Who is being developed because I am here?”

There is also an ethical dimension to influ-ence. Power accumulated over time car-ries responsibility. Senior women who continue to center themselves risk converting feminist language into personal branding—a move that may advance indi-vidual profiles but weaken collective progress. Empowerment can-not be sustained if it flows in only one direc-tion.

The most effective senior women leaders under-stand that legacy is a professional asset. They invest in talent pipelines. They share not only suc-cess stories but failures, trade-offs, and unfinished questions. They listen strategically. They create psychological safety for disagreement. And they step aside when new leadership is ready—not because they are no longer capable, but because the organization is stronger for it.

From a business perspective, the choice is clear. Organizations and networks led by self-focused authority stagnate. Those led by generative leadership adapt, innovate, and endure. The future of professional women’s advancement depends less on individual excellence and more on collec-tive competence.

In the end, leadership is not proven by how often one speaks, how visible one remains, or how central one’s story becomes.

It is proven by conti-nuity. Senior women who move from per-sonal brand to profes-sional legacy do not lose relevance—they institutionalize it. Their influence per-sists not through pres-ence, but through the empowered leaders they leave behind.

Photo by Lisa Dicksteen

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move

What One Woman’s Investment Did

A $300 computer changed the trajectory of a life—and offers a powerful lesson for women leaders everywhere.

Lual Mayen was born as his mother fled violence in South Sudan, arriving at a refugee camp in northern Uganda, where he would spend the next 22 years.

Life there offered few opportunities, but his mother believed fiercely in her son’s potential. Through sacrifice and determination, she managed to buy him a $300 computer—an extraordinary investment under the circumstances.

At first, Lual didn’t know how to use it. Then he understood something profound: if his mother had invested so much hope in him, he needed to honor that belief.

Teaching himself through what he calls “YouTube University,” he learned to code and began creating games—games designed not just for entertainment, but to give displaced youth something often missing from their lives: belonging, empathy, and connection.

On Dec 16, 2025, I had the honor of introducing Lual at an International Migrants Day event at the United Nations in New York, co-hosted with the Canadian Permanent Mission. He is friends with one of our members in the NYC Club, and I had met him previously, and related strongly to his stories.

As he lives in Washington, DC, it was feasible to bring him in to speak in person. What a great impact he made on all of us!

His work as CEO of Junub Games and founder of the Lual Mayen Foundation has earned international recognition, and his educational games are used in schools in the United States and the United Kingdom.

His foundation empowers refugees through technology, education, and employment pathways and his goal is to teach a path to peace through games. His work has won many awards, including the Mohammed Ali Humanitarian Award and now he is in negotiations with the Discovery channel.

But this story is not just about one man’s success. It is about what happens when a woman invests—in a child, in a future, in possibility.

For business and professional women, this lesson is deeply familiar. We know that access to tools, education, and mentorship changes outcomes. Yet women and girls on the move—migrants, refugees, and displaced women—are still far less likely to receive those investments.

In many parts of the world, families continue to prioritize sons over daughters when resources are scarce, limiting women’s economic independence before it even begins.

Each of us can help change that. By mentoring, sponsoring, and intentionally supporting women and girls—whether they are migrants, refugees, or simply young people in our own communities—we extend opportunity where it is most needed. We strengthen not only individual lives but economies, workplaces, and societies.

As members of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, we are uniquely positioned to do this work. Leadership is not only about titles or achievements; it is about recognizing potential and helping it grow.

Sometimes, that investment is financial. Often, it is time, encouragement, and belief.

One woman’s $300 investment unlocked a lifetime of impact on many more lives than her son’s. Imagine what our collective leadership can do.

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
2024-2026

Please contact me directly for more information: Womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

There is nothing quite like spending time with BPW International Sisters from around the world.

The 7th BPW Mediterranean Symposium: The Balance of Power: Gender, Economy and Leadership brought sisters from across Cyprus (the host nation), various parts of Europe, me from the US, and two from Montreal, Canada. The conference was planned with an evening and a morning of talks, meals set up for conversations, bus rides to see the country, and many opportunities to meet women entrepreneurs and indulge in local offerings. Most important were these many conversations – about opportunities for collaboration, mutual support to make change happen, and exchanges on how best to grow our clubs.

The talk I prepared generated a fair amount of interest – in part because ofmy exhortation for us to do more with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), comparing our efforts to those of the Non-Governmental Organizations recognized at the United Nations, and in part because of my passionate requests for national action on selecting a Madam Secretary General at United Nations and on the question of migrants.

My chart (see Chart A—next page) on what BPW International clubs have accomplished for each SDG shows that we have engagement everywhere, but some of it is quite historic! There is room for improvement – and we need to be serious about logging our efforts!

In comparing our efforts with those of UN Registered NGOS, I developed the following table (see Chart B below) which shows a strong alignment to what others are doing, but underscores opportunities for us to do so much more.

An important element in my talk was the request that each club talk to their governments about the importance of selecting a Madam Secretary General next year. Seven women are in the running, but of all the candidates, only one name will be passed to the General Assembly for a vote. The selection will be accomplished in closed sessions.

I ended my talk by asking our sisters to also speak to their governments on the question of people on the move – migrants in this case – and to help frame the discussion especially around women on the move. The International Migration Review Forum is coming up in May 2026, and regardless of feelings about migrants in general, it is important that we advocate for business and professional women migrants to benefit from equitable treatment. Currently, many educated and experienced women on the move fall through the cracks in countries where they are not classified for their knowledge in the same way as men. This places them at a real disadvantage when competing for positions or adapting to a new country.

CHART B: COMPARING RESULTS OBTAINED BY IFBPW AND UN NGOS

Please contact me directly for more information: Womenonthemove@nfbpwc.org

Nermin K. Ahmad
Chair Women on the Move
2024-2026