A masterclass for women in technology reimagines inclusive leadership
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More than just a training, a masterclass on inclusive leadership created a space for six women leaders to reflect on and reconnect with their purpose and potential as change-makers in the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector. Organized by UN Women Philippines, through the Gender Action Lab (GAL), in partnership with theIT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP),the half-day masterclass, held on 17 October in Mandaluyong City, made for a meaningful and interactive learning experience.
The session equipped members of the IBPAP Women in Action @ IT-BPM (WIA) Elevate cohort with practical tools to foster gender-responsive and inclusive practices in their workplaces. It also served as a reminder that inclusive leadership is a powerful force for innovation, resilience and equity.
This collaboration builds on UN Women’s ongoing efforts to promote the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) – which are at the heart of the WEPs Corporate Action Lab, a joint initiative by UN Women Philippines and IBPAP focused on advancing women’s leadership in tech – and to strengthen gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
The session, facilitated by UN Women Philippines and Management Strategies, emphasized that inclusive leadership is not only a moral responsibility but also a strategic advantage, making organizations more innovative, adaptive and equitable.
Reframing leadership through a gender lens
Through the five-R framework — Reimagine, Recognize, Respect, Respond, Reflect — participants engaged in activities that encouraged them to challenge assumptions and reframe leadership as an inclusive and collective act.
Participants were invited to reimagine what an inclusive world could look like. They reflected on the difference between equality and equity, sharing personal insights about fairness, belonging and representation, grounding the day’s learning in lived experience. Conversations were honest, insightful and, at times, deeply personal. Participants shared stories of bias, stereotypes and unequal access to opportunities that continue to challenge women’s advancement.
Breakout sessions allowed participants to use the WEPs to assess their organizations’ current progress and identify enablers and barriers to gender equality, sparking rich discussions on behaviours that often go unnoticed.
Participants examined how microaggressions like interruptions or assumptions about capability can undermine confidence and inclusion, while sharing positive examples such as mentorship, recognition of invisible labour and allyship that foster fairness and empathy. These conversations underscored that inclusion relies not only on policies but on everyday actions that create psychological safety. Reflecting on intersectionality and unconscious bias, the group examined how subtle behaviours shape team dynamics and considered ways to redesign systems and practices.
“Inclusion starts with self-awareness. You can’t lead inclusively if you don’t first unlearn your own biases,” one participant shared, capturing the spirit of the session.
Reflecting and committing to action
The masterclass concluded with a reflection and commitment exercise in which participants outlined personal and organizational actions to advance inclusion. These ranged from mentoring future women leaders and strengthening gender-responsive policies to designing inclusive workspaces and embedding the WEPs across company systems. Many pledged to educate peers and teams to become active enablers of inclusion.
As Ayhee Campos, IBPAP Chairperson, WIA Chairperson and Co-Convenor, passionately shared in her opening remarks: “Inclusive leadership isn’t just a strategy. It’s a stance. It’s about choosing empathy over ego, collaboration over control and impact over image.”
Through the Gender Action Lab – a dynamic action platform launched by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Australia and UN Women – the insights and lived experiences from the masterclass will be used to shape a new blueprint for inclusive leadership. This roadmap will guide future programming and advocacy, extending beyond the IT-BPM sector to influence the wider business community and embed inclusion into everyday leadership practice.
About the Gender Action Lab
The UN Women Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia and the Pacific, powered by the WEPs, is a dynamic action platform launched by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Australia and UN Women in Asia and the Pacific.
The Gender Action Lab is envisioned as a long-term, multi-stakeholder and multi-donor platform across Asia and the Pacific, designed to galvanize efforts for gender-transformative action and impact in the private sector, and to leverage innovation to advance gender equality, women’s empowerment and sustainable development in building more inclusive economies across the region.
The initiative will be implemented for an initial period of four years, with a particular focus on Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, and with activities extending across the broader ASEAN region.
