Women in Leadership: From Participation to Shared Power

June Huang, Chairwoman of Airline Ambassadors International (AAI), represented AAI at The Power of Intergenerational Leadership, a UN Women Leaders Network event held during the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York. Host Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir described the initiative as a “network of networks,” connecting women leaders with the communities and organizations behind them. UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous called for generations to lead together and urged established leaders to sponsor women by sharing networks, making introductions, and putting their names forward.

The fireside chat and panel discussion made clear that access alone is not enough. Charlotte Bunch encouraged women to find allies and speak up, while Dilanaz Güler examined the promise and risks of digital spaces. Panelists Aya Chebbi, Anino Emuwa, and former Finnish President Tarja Halonen called for measurable power-sharing, opportunities that follow mentorship, women’s influence over capital, and greater representation in economic, security, and sustainability decisions. For AAI, the event reinforced the importance of turning networks into action and ensuring that women leaders are supported not only to enter the room, but to shape what happens there.