Women’s groups bond to create forum and platform for women leaders’ access to justice

By Dr. Marivir Montebon

New York – Women leaders continue to step up in these trying times. Alongside the UN’s 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, three women’s organizations have bonded to create a leadership forum on March 11, 2026, at 1 Vanderbilt, NYC titled “Women's Leadership and Access to Justice.”

Organizing groups HERRD, Women of World (WoW) Coaching, and the Women’s Federation for World Peace International are featuring the lived experiences and expertise of Philippine Trade Commissioner for New York Alma Argayoso, Dr. Fran Johnston, Founder and CEO of Teleos Leadership Institute, Merly Barrete Barlaan, WFWPI UN Relations Offices director, Ivanna Aguiling-Dela Torre, Chief Curator of HERRD, Isa-Miguel Buencamino, founder of Women of the World Coaching, and Ms. Loida Nicolas Lewis, FilAm philanthropist and immigration attorney.

The event will be moderated by journalist Karen Davila and will officially launch HERRD, a Southeast Asian women’s leadership platform.

Organizers Dela Torre, Barlaan, and Buencamino have been, at one point, all trainees of WOW, a global all-women coaching and leadership community active in more than 32 countries. It was founded in 2020 by UK-based executive coach Isa Buencamino.

WOW builds what it calls a “No Judgment Zone” — a structured sisterhood designed not only for support, but also for leadership growth and systemic impact.

At the heart of WOW’s philosophy is a simple but powerful belief: when women collaborate rather than compete, they expand what is possible — for themselves and for the systems they influence.

“We are a ‘She for She’ alliance that focuses on proactively developing our fellow women to do better in their professional and personal lives,” says Buencamino. “Sisterhood is not just a concept. It is a leadership strategy.”   

In times of adversity, women turn to one another for strength. The understanding that comes from lived experience creates bonds that heal wounds, nurture resilience and unlock potential. WOW transforms that bond into action, embodying empathy, shared experience, and mutual advocacy, Buencamino explained. #