The iWoman Report: From Boardrooms to Playing Fields: How Women Are Advancing, Resisting and Reclaiming Power

2025 Women in the Workplace Report: The latest insights on women’s representation in corporate leadership & progress indicators.

Why So Many Women Are Hitting Invisible Barriers at Work, Even When They’re Just as Driven as Men

In 2025, corporate America is sending a concerning message: women’s career advancement is no longer a priority at many companies and it’s showing up in real ways that affect women’s confidence, opportunities and choices at work. That’s the headline from this year’s Women in the Workplace report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org, the most comprehensive annual study of women’s experiences in the workplace. Here are some key takeaways from the study:

Women Are Just as Dedicated But Face a System That Isn’t Investing in Their Success

Women across industries report the same high levels of commitment to their careers as men do. But that commitment isn’t translating into equal chances to rise. Structural obstacles, especially weak career support from managers and senior leaders, are holding women back. Women are less likely than men to have a sponsor, someone who actively champions them, gives them stretch assignments and opens doors for advancement. Without that advocacy, even high-performing women struggle to break through.

The “Ambition Gap” Is Real, But It’s About Support, Not Drive

In a new twist, the report shows that women are less likely than men to want promotions for the first time in the study’s decade-long history. At entry level, only about 69% of women say they want a promotion, compared with 80% of men. That same pattern shows up at senior levels, too. This isn’t a lack of ambition, it’s a reaction to an environment where support is inconsistent and opportunities feel out of reach. When women do receive the same backing as their male colleagues, from sponsorship to manager advocacy, that gap in promotion desire disappears.

Why Women Are Hesitating

Here’s the heart of the matter: Even when women want to advance, the workplace isn’t always set up for them to succeed. Many women, especially early in their careers, feel:

• Under-supported by managers and leaders

• Passed over for stretch assignments

• Less likely to have clear paths to advancement

• Discouraged by the lack of equitable sponsorship

All of these factors feed an "ambition gap" that reflects real workplace roadblocks, not diminished drive.

Companies Are Pulling Back Resources That Help Women

Some employers have scaled back programs that specifically help women grow, like formal sponsorship structures, targeted career development and even flexible or remote work options that can make a big difference for women juggling multiple responsibilities.

At the same time, only about half of companies now say women’s career advancement is a top priority and even fewer prioritize advancement for women of color.

Women Are Ready But the System Isn’t Always With Them

Women aren’t walking away from ambition, they’re recalibrating it in response to real structural barriers. Equal access to sponsorship, fair promotion processes and career development isn’t a “nice to have,” it’s the foundation for women’s success.

Despite decades of talk about diversity, equity and inclusion, women in corporate America are facing less real support, fewer opportunities to grow, and a stalled leadership pipeline. That’s the stark takeaway from the Women in the Workplace 2025 report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org.

Women Are Underrepresented at Every Step, The Corporate Pipeline Still Leaks

Women remain underrepresented across the entire corporate ladder, and the imbalance gets worse the higher you go:

• Entry Level: Women make up nearly half of the workforce, but their share shrinks as roles get more senior

• Manager Roles: Women hold about 42% of manager positions, but this drops further up the ladder.

• Senior Leadership: Only 35% of vice president roles and 32% of senior vice president roles are held by women and gaps grow wider for women of color.

• C-Suite: Just 29% of corporate executives are women this hasn’t budged from the previous year.

This persistent underrepresentation highlights a broken pipeline where, even with similar talent and ambition, women get stuck or pushed out long before the corner office.

The “Broken Rung” Still Blocks Women’s Advancement

A recurring theme in the report and one that has plagued gender parity efforts for years is the “broken rung”: the first big step up to manager.

• For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 93 women get that opportunity.

• That gap widens sharply for women of color, only 74 are promoted for every 100 men.

Without correcting this early imbalance, the pipeline ahead gets even narrower meaning fewer women are even eligible to advance later.

One of the most troubling trends is that companies are pulling back on the very supports that help women succeed:

• Only about half of companies now say women’s career advancement is a high priority.

• Less than half prioritize advancement for women of color.

• Many organizations are cutting back on DE&I teams, sponsorship programs, mentorship opportunities and flexible work policies, all channels that have historically helped women thrive.

This shift isn’t subtle, it’s translating into real barriers that make women less likely to pursue promotions and less visible for key opportunities.

A Glimmer of Progress But Only Where There’s Intentional Focus

Some companies are making gains: those that prioritize women’s representation consistently see meaningful improvements across the pipeline. At top performing companies:

• Women’s representation has risen across all levels since 2021 from entry roles to the C-suite.

• For example: women are projected to reach nearly 38% of C-suite roles by 2025 at top quartile companies, a notable gain.

But at companies where gender equity isn’t actively supported, progress stalls or backslides, with gaps growing larger at key career stages.

What This Means for Women’s Careers

• Underrepresentation isn’t about ability, it’s about opportunity. Women have the skills and drive, but not the structural support.

• Ambition is shaped by the environment. When women don’t see a path forward, or lack advocates, their desire to climb drops, even if their commitment doesn’t.

• Corporate priorities matter. A company that says it values inclusion but doesn’t back it up with programs, sponsorship, or accountability will continue to stall women’s advancement.

This isn’t just data, it’s lived experience. Women entering the workforce feel less supported with AI training and mentorship, and many aren’t receiving stretch assignments or leadership development that signal a clear career ladder.

The Bottom Line

The latest Women in the Workplace report makes one thing clear: progress isn’t guaranteed, it has to be built and protected. Women are ready and capable but too many companies have stepped back from the programs that help women thrive. That’s not just a loss for women, it’s a loss for business, innovation, and the future of work.

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Women Veterans Lose Critical Health Care as Veterans Affairs Abortion Access Is Shut Down

Women who have served this country are now facing a major rollback of healthcare access.

Under a new directive tied to the Trump administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has been barred from providing abortion services, including in cases of rape or incest, after a Department of Justice memo concluded the policy was not legally sound. The decision immediately halts a Biden-era rule that had expanded reproductive healthcare options for veterans across the VA’s nationwide system.

This moment underscores a troubling reality: women veterans are once again being asked to sacrifice their health, autonomy and safety, even after their service has ended.

A Step Backward for Women Who Served

The now-rescinded policy, introduced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, allowed VA providers to counsel veterans on abortion and offer the procedure when a pregnancy resulted from rape or incest, or posed a serious threat to a veteran’s health. It was a critical safeguard, particularly for women veterans living in states where abortion access has been severely restricted.

The VA operates more than 1,300 healthcare facilities, serving nearly 10 million veterans each year. For many women, especially those in rural areas or states with abortion bans, the VA represented their only realistic access to comprehensive reproductive care. Now, that door has been closed.

According to VA officials, the agency is complying with the Justice Department’s interpretation of federal law and implementing the ban immediately. While internal guidance reportedly allows care in life-threatening situations, such as ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages, the lack of clarity around emergency exceptions has raised serious concerns among advocates and veterans alike.

Why This Hits Women Veterans Especially Hard

More than half of women veterans live in states that already ban or are likely to ban abortion, according to the National Partnership for Women & Families. Many rely on the VA precisely because state-level options have disappeared. This decision doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It compounds:

• Gender inequities in veteran healthcare

• The growing number of women veterans, one of the fastest-growing groups in the military community

• The reality that sexual assault remains a persistent issue within and beyond military service

As Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, put it: “Denying veterans essential health care and abortion access, even in cases of rape or serious health risk, after they have sacrificed so much for our country is callous and inhumane.”

The Bigger Picture: Women’s Autonomy Is Still Up for Debate

This move is part of a broader pattern: women’s healthcare decisions being reshaped by politics rather than patient needs. For women veterans, it sends a painful message, that their service does not guarantee their bodily autonomy. Women veterans didn’t stop serving when they took off the uniform and they deserve better than this.

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Why American Girl Still Matters at 40

How a female-centric toy brand shaped generations of leaders. For four decades, these dolls have been more than playthings, they have been mirrors, mentors and memories for girls and women.

As American Girl prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary, we are taking a moment to honor what this iconic brand has meant, and continues to mean, to generations of girls and women looking for strength, identity and stories that put us at the center.

A Doll That Wasn’t Just a Toy But a Teacher

When educator Pleasant Rowland launched American Girl in 1986, she didn’t want another “pretty doll.” She wanted characters girls could learn from, stories woven into books where girls weren’t side characters, they were protagonists in history, courage and change.

• Samantha stood up for child welfare and voices for women’s suffrage

• Addy walked away from slavery toward freedom

• Kit became a journalist during the Great Depression

• Josefina showed resilience within her family and culture — each accompanied by a chapter book that gave context, complexity and agency to their narrative.

These weren’t just dolls, they were stories of survival, bravery, empathy and conviction. That’s why so many women still feel a bond with them today.

Nostalgia That Became Identity

For so many of us, American Girl wasn’t about accessories or outfits, it was about seeing ourselves reflected back. The feeling of flipping through a chapter book with a character who looked like you, fought through adversity and still kept going helped shape confidence long before we understood what empowerment meant.

Millennials who grew up with these dolls, now approaching their 40s themselves, are rediscovering that connection today. They’re bringing dolls out of storage, passing them down to their own kids, or simply remembering the way those stories made them feel seen.

A Legacy of Representation And Not Without Gaps

While American Girl broke ground with stories rooted in different eras, it hasn’t always gotten representation right or early. For years, the Historical Characters lineup lacked diversity, and the brand’s first African-American character, Addy, was introduced in 1993 with a narrative tied to slavery, a complex and sometimes conflicted part of representation. Today, American Girl offers dolls that reflect broader experiences, including dolls with books about inclusion, climate awareness, and even non-binary characters available in stores.

As the brand celebrates its 40th, it continues to expand what girlhood means. The 2026 Girl of the Year doll, Raquel Reyes, reflects modern identity in all its richness, rooted in her Mexican-American heritage, connected to the legacy of beloved classic characters and built to inspire empathy, courage and intergenerational pride. Her story, one of community, curiosity and kindness, shows how American Girl is still evolving to match the hopes and values of girls growing up today.

More Than Plastic: A Cultural Touchstone

The enduring impact of American Girl has shown up in ways bigger than the dolls themselves:

• Libraries offering lending programs to make the dolls and their stories more accessible to kids across communities.

• Adult fans creating handmade outfits, historical reenactments and social media communities that keep the lore alive.

• Millennial women reflecting on their own childhoods and what it meant to see themselves in narrative and play.

These dolls became cultural touchstones that helped girls think about resilience, empathy, agency and their place in the world, long after playtime ended.

Why It Still Matters

At a time when so much in girlhood and womanhood is contested, American Girl’s legacy reminds us of something powerful: Girls deserve to see themselves in history, in stories and in the future they’re building. Whether it was learning about the suffrage movement from Samantha, or finding your inner courage with Addy or Josefina, these dolls were early mirrors and mentors that helped girls find their voices. As the brand enters its fourth decade, we celebrate not just a toy, but the generation of women shaped by its lessons in strength, curiosity, empathy and purpose.

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Women Take the World Stage: How FIFA Is Powering a New Era for Women’s Football

Across continents, stadiums and streets, women are redefining what it means to play and lead, in the world’s most beloved sport. In 2025, women’s football didn’t just grow, it blossomed, propelled by strategic investment, historic competition and a commitment to empowering girls and women at every level. This isn’t just about athletes scoring goals. This is about women claiming space, breaking barriers and inspiring future generations.

A Global First: FIFA’s Inaugural Women’s Futsal World Cup

One of the most exciting milestones of the year was the first FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup, held in the Philippines. An event that marked a historic expansion of women’s sport on the global stage. Sixteen teams from six confederations competed, showcasing extraordinary talent and fierce competitiveness. Brazil emerged as the first champions, but every team, from Morocco to Tanzania, helped redefine what women’s sport looks like around the world.

This tournament wasn’t just about what happened on the pitch, it was about legacy. FIFA and the Philippine Football Federation launched “Beyond the Court” initiatives to ensure that this event leaves lasting benefits for players, coaches and young fans long after the final whistle.

Expanding the Game Through 13 Development Programs

FIFA isn’t waiting for growth, it’s building it. Across the globe, 13 Women’s Football Development Programs are empowering member associations to expand opportunities for girls and women, from grassroots participation to elite performance pathways. These efforts are part of FIFA’s ambitious vision to support 60 million female players worldwide by 2027.

In countries from Liberia to Bangladesh, women’s football campaigns are bringing the sport to new communities, equipping young girls with skills, confidence and a sense of belonging. In Zimbabwe, a newly unveiled Women’s Football Strategy is focusing on player pathways, professionalization and commercial growth, proving that structured support transforms potential into progress.

Building Leadership On and Off the Field

The transformation we are witnessing goes far beyond players on the ball. It’s about women in leadership, coaching, refereeing and administration to change the game from every angle. For example, the elite Coach Mentorship Program is pairing up women coaches with seasoned mentors, opening doors for leadership that have long been closed. Many of these women will be the ones shaping tomorrow’s teams and strategies.

At the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup final, female referees from Venezuela and Spain officiated an historic match, a powerful reminder that the game’s biggest moments belong to women in every role.

These advancements are more than statistics, they are stories of courage, opportunity and transformation. When girls see women competing, coaching, leading federations and lifting trophies, they see themselves in those moments. When local programs give a young girl her first chance to kick a ball, they give her confidence, community and a future in sport.

As women’s football continues to grow, from qualifiers and grassroots leagues to the biggest global stages, it reminds the world that women belong in every arena, not just as participants, but as leaders and trailblazers.

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Why Sport Is More Than a Game, It’s a Pathway to Hope, Healing & Opportunity

At just 17, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history through unwavering courage in the face of violence and discrimination. From her early fight for girls’ education in Pakistan to becoming a global advocate for human rights, her voice has always been a beacon for women and girls everywhere. Today, Malala is pushing that mission even further into the world of sport, where she sees transformative power for women and for communities too often left behind.

Sport as a Source of Hope

As an executive producer of Champions of the Golden Valley, Malala Yousafzai continues her mission of amplifying stories from communities too often misunderstood or marginalized. Partnering with actor and activist Arian Moayed, Yousafzai helped bring global attention to the powerful documentary, now streaming on Olympics.com, which follows an Afghan ski school founded by alpine skier Alishah Farhang in the mountainous Bamyan region. Through the unlikely but transformative lens of sport, the film captures how skiing becomes a vehicle for hope, unity and possibility, especially for women and girls, amid deep ethnic, cultural and religious divides. “This is such a powerful story about the people of Afghanistan and how much they desire peace in their community,” Yousafzai shared on the Olympics.com podcast, noting that storytelling is a vital tool for reshaping narratives about Afghan life. By elevating a story of resilience, community and dignity, Yousafzai once again demonstrates how sport and storytelling together can challenge stereotypes and open doors to empathy and empowerment worldwide.

From Playground Exclusion to Global Platform

Malala’s own story informs her vision. Growing up in Pakistan’s Swat Valley, she experienced the world’s challenges firsthand, from being shot by extremists for advocating education to fleeing her homeland to rebuild her life in the UK. Her journey underscores that opportunity isn’t equal for every child, girl and refugee.

Sport becomes part of that narrative, a way to fight back against exclusion. Yousafzai’s participation in this documentary builds upon her existing global initiatives and partnerships with leaders in athletics and beyond, Malala is championing play and sport as human rights, not luxuries.

Recess: A New Movement for Girls in Sport

In 2025, Malala co-founded Recess, a global platform designed to expand women’s and girls’ access to sports at all levels, from community fields to professional arenas. Fueled by her belief that sports can cultivate confidence, teamwork and leadership, Recess challenges the old idea that girls belong on the sidelines.

Her message is clear: when girls are given access to sports, something remarkable happens, they begin to believe not just in their bodies, but in their power to lead, compete and inspire others.

What makes Malala’s approach so compelling is its breadth. Her advocacy is anchored in education, but sport becomes a complementary force. Sport isn’t just play; it’s a tool for empowerment, resilience and cross-cultural connection. It opens doors in places where other opportunities may not yet exist.

In Malala’s view, sport is also about visibility and leadership. When women thrive in sports as athletes, coaches, organizers or advocates, they break stereotypes and shift mindsets about what women can and should do. Girls watching women compete, lead and win become emboldened to believe their lives aren’t limited by circumstance or gender. This is how sport becomes part of a broader movement for gender equity, by giving girls tools to succeed, on and off the field.

Hope Isn’t a Dream: It’s an Action

At its heart, Malala’s message is a hopeful one: empowerment does not come from waiting for permission, nor from being passive. For women and girls around the world, from displaced refugee camps to bustling cities, sport becomes another language of resistance: a way to say we are here, we belong, and we will rise. Malala is there to amplify that message with every step she takes.