IWD 2025: Gender parity stalls when work-life balance falters

Campaign ME

07-03-2025

The brand and marketing industry has made giant strides in DEI over the past few years. However, women within the industry, who spoke to Campaign Middle East, claim that there's still a long way to go, especially with systemic stereotypes around work-life balance.
They shared their take on the age-old struggle to have a seat at the table, which seems to be the theme repeated for International Women's Day in 2025. And yet, expectations within organisations and biases within society are 'placing a greater burden on women' who have earned their place in the workplace.
'When it comes to equity, so much progress has been made, but the road ahead is still long. Women are more visible, yet unconscious biases still mean we often have to work twice as hard for the same recognition,' says Mary Anne He, Head of Data & Insights, Havas Middle East.
To highlight similar sentiments within the industry on DE&I this International Women's Day (IWD), Campaign Middle East has welcomed open and honest opinions from women within the region's brand, marketing, creative, PR and comms industry on how they have seen the needle move in terms of access to opportunities, career growth, feeling heard and the challenges they currently face.
Although Campaign Middle East does not agree with tokenisation, and welcomes commentary on the topic throughout the year, we have heard the requests of women in leadership positions to share their comments during IWD and have offered them – and those on their teams – a platform to share their thoughts.
Wajd Breek, Account Director, Golin MENA, says, 'Access to opportunities for women in our industry has always been significant, yet challenges remain in achieving true gender equality.'
She goes on to explain that women have made up a large part of the workforce within the public relations realm for a long time, but representation in leadership positions remains scant.
'Career progression remains slower compared to men, and boardrooms remain male-dominated,' she explains, citing the Global Women in PR Annual Index 2025 report to make her case.
She adds, 'The biggest challenge for women is achieving work-life balance, as many women still bear the primary responsibility for childcare and other caring responsibilities. To tackle this, we must prioritise policies that promote gender equality in leadership and create work environments that support better work-life balance for everyone.'
'One of the biggest barriers to progress is the illusion of it. Real change requires moving beyond surface-level efforts to measurable impact: promotion and pay equity, investment in long-term growth and pathways to leadership and real decision-making power.'
Women within the industry also emphasise that these policies should take into account the entire spectrum of responsibilities that female professionals have to undertake, even beyond office hours.
'When asked what benefits matter most, nearly half (49 per cent) [of women] said flexible schedules, and 48 per cent pointed to maternity leave,' said Vera Modenova, COO at Flowwow. She suggests that instead of pitting responsibilities from work-lives and personal-lives against each other, allowing them to coexist would be far more beneficial.
'As both a mother and a leader, I've learned that balance isn't about separating work and life, it's about making them work together,' she said. 'To help more women navigate these challenges, I'd push for workplaces to embrace flexible work cultures, normalise family-friendly policies, and create environments where women feel supported in both their careers and personal lives, without having to choose between the two.'
Havas Middle East's Anne He backs this idea. She suggests that superficial practices barely scratch the surface of solving the disparity between male and female career paths.
'Ironically, one of the biggest barriers to progress is the illusion of it,' she says. 'Real change requires moving beyond surface-level efforts to measurable impact: promotion and pay equity, investment in long-term growth and pathways to leadership and real decision-making power. Celebrating women is great, but holding the industry accountable is even better.'
The industry might even witness benefits to long-term operations by nurturing female talent holistically, allowing them to grow within their careers through an equitable work-life balance.
'Many women juggle two full-time roles and often step back from their careers to give their best to their families,' says Nareena Mehra, Chief Strategy and Growth Officer, Science & Sunshine.
'The solution lies in employers understanding and fostering a genuine work-life balance, allowing women to pursue their ambitions without guilt,' she explains.
Balancing a career and raising a family should not have to be a sacrifice asked of women, the interviewees say.
'Challenges persist. Promotion bias, maternity bias, and work-life balance struggles continue to hold many back,' adds Elena Soloveva, Creative – Senior Copywriter, MullenLowe MENA.
'A workplace that prioritises efficiency, well-being and real balance won't just retain top talent, it will create an environment where women can truly thrive,' she says.
While the needle continues to move towards better working conditions for women in the region, the industry needs to reflect on how to raise the bar on true inclusivity.