Behind every headline that challenges injustice, every story that gives the voiceless a platform, and every report that holds power to account, there is often a woman who refused to stay silent. On International Women's Day (IWD), we celebrated those women.

On this year's celebration, women in media and journalism from Indonesia and the Netherlands came together at the residence of Ambassador Marc Gerritsen for an evening that was as inspiring as it was necessary. They shared something universal, the drive to tell stories that matter, and the resilience it takes to keep telling them. 

The gathering was more than a reception. It was a living conversation, honest, open, and grounded in real experience. Journalists and media professionals exchanged perspectives on the evolving media landscape, navigated its growing challenges together, and offered one another the kind of practical wisdom that only comes from those who have lived it. The evening was made even more meaningful by the presence of the former Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs and now UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Water H.E. Retno Marsudi, whose own journey stands as a testament to what women can achieve when given, or when they carve out, a seat at the table.

Journalism is a powerful driver of women's rights and equal representation. And the women in that room? They are proof of it!