Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (8 March) provide an opportunity to reflect on our advancements in tackling the structural barriers that uphold inequality and hinder women's achievements in the architecture profession. This year’s theme “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” calls for action that will address gender inequity and provide opportunities for a future where no one is left behind.
Women’s History Month – what you can do to mark this in your practice?
Remember, actions that support gender equity are not limited to the month of March. This can be a great time of year to start conversations, but our work is ongoing. Here are some ideas of you how can initiate change within your practice that can be applied and worked on beyond this month.
1. Using 2025’s theme, decided annually by the United Nations, publicly acknowledge on your social media platforms how your practice is advocating for gender equity in the workplace. Be aware that other websites and organisations have co-opted International Women’s Day for commercial purposes – the United Nations website is the most reliable place for information and the setting of the annual theme.
2. Show allyship, most importantly within practice every day.
3. Create, review, and improve your existing policies. Consider how your policies address issues such as gender discrimination, menopause, family leave, flexible working, return to work, professional development, etc. Ensure your policies and their language are inclusive of all women, that clear procedures are outlined, and that everyone knows who to talk to as and when they need to.
4. Consider how to create a culture that allows dialogue on difficult issues, facilitates feedback, and allows for iterations in your work.
5. Review whether your working environment is physically and psychologically safe for women.
6. Be open and transparent about pay and discrepancies between genders. Review your latest gender pay and ethnicity gap results or proposed actions and provide an update on progress. Gather employee satisfaction/dissatisfaction - then, listen, reflect and respond.
7. Review your strategy for a long term commitment to women’s career development and advancement, then communicate this well to colleagues.
8. Organise a virtual or in-person event. Create a space for employees and employers to listen and share and consider inviting speakers who have intersectional experiences Inviting people with different lived experiences will widen understanding for attendees.
9. Spotlight inspirational employee stories internally or externally (ensure those employees feel supported and safe when sharing their stories publicly). Podcasts, blogs, and videos are options.
10. Run a coffee morning or a lunch and learn session to raise awareness on the issues faced by women in the workplace and signpost individuals to support that’s available.
11. Commission gender equity training for your employees, including senior leaders and trustees. Review whether your working environment is safe for women both physically and psychologically.
12. Share your actions for improvement to practice. The more visible action is communicated the better. Report back regularly.
13. Avoid tokenistic visuals. Be honest and authentic about progress instead.
14. Introduce a mentoring/buddy programme for all to progress, stay and flourish within their careers - we do not grow in isolation of others.
It’s also important to recognise that too many women working in architectural practice experience discrimination and sexual misconduct – as found in a recent ARB survey. As well as an ethical duty there is now a legal duty for practices to prevent this from happening and now is the time for these discussions to take place in your practice to ensure changes are made.
Further workplace guidance has been made available from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) or you can read our professional feature on the new sexual harassment laws which have been put into place.
RIBA Google Arts and Culture: Women in Architecture
British architecture has historically been a male-dominated profession, but women have played a major, though often overlooked, role in commissioning and designing buildings.
Explore our interactive Google Arts and Culture feature on women in the architecture profession.
Staying for longer: Retaining women in architecture
Pulled from the pages of RIBA’s Inclusion Emergency book, Grace Choi shares how gender-biased culture in the built environment impacts women’s careers while offering direct actions that practices can take to be part of the change.
Read Staying for longer: Retaining women in architecture
Events
The New Paradigm Leadership - a talk by Dr Joanna Martin
On Thursday 6 March, to mark International Women’s Day, Scott Brownrigg hosted a talk - New Paradigm Leadership by guest speaker Dr Joanna Martin, founder and CEO of One of Many, a women’s leadership and coaching organisation.
Speaking about the event, Claire Donald said: "In this inspiring and thought-provoking session, we were introduced to a fresh, values-driven approach to leadership—one rooted in courage, compassion, connection, clarity, and creativity. Where the old paradigms of control, competition, and overwork are no longer sustainable. Jo guided us to:
- understand the hidden costs of traditional leadership models, including burnout, impaired decision-making, and disengagement
- develop our own unique and authentic leadership style—one that aligns with who you truly are
- create a vision for stepping into leadership in a way that fosters radical, sustainable change in your organisation and beyond"
Gender equity study with The Fawcett Society
In October 2024, we announced the commissioning of a study into gender equity in architecture by the Fawcett Society, to be published later this year. This study will conduct research into the experiences of women who are either practising architects or have left the profession, before setting out key actions for meaningful, lasting change.
It will also explore the intersections of gender with other protected characteristics. It will investigate the barriers and facilitators to progressing gender equity faced by employers, what architecture can learn from similar professions, and what needs to change.
RIBA Toolkits for addressing gender inequity
Explore our latest toolkits with activities and resources to help address gender inequity in the workplace.
Microaggressions
This toolkit provides resources to help practices address and understand microaggressions in the workplace. Explore the RIBA Microaggressions Toolkit.
Inclusive Events
Check out our Inclusive Events Toolkit for resources and guidance on creating welcoming events for all. Explore the RIBA Inclusive Events Toolkit.
RIBA Books
The team at RIBA Books have a selection of both available and upcoming titles on the theme of Women's History Month:
Inclusion Emergency: Diversity in Architecture
This book encourages understanding and reflection by capturing insight from leading voices in the profession. It addresses critical questions, providing steps towards meaningful change, including chapters focused on gender equity and caregiving.
100 Women: Architects in Practice
Women within architecture have always been underrepresented. This highly illustrated book provides a flagship reference for women's contribution to architecture, offering inspiration to readers through 100 profiles.
Thrive: A field guide for women in architecture
A practical guide for students and architects which explores the history of women in architecture and examines how the profession can better serve women in future. The book covers women architects from all walks of life, all sizes of practice and from all over the world, including Jeanne Gang, Yasmeen Lari and Anupama Kundoo as well as many other historical and contemporary women architects and emerging practices.
Architect: The evolving story of a profession
The architect's role is constantly adapting. Throughout history, it has shifted significantly, shaped by social, cultural, technological and economic forces. The very definition of what an architect is and does has evolved over time from lead builder or master mason to principal designer. A collaborative and reactive profession, it is inextricably linked to the power of the patron, whether the client is an influential and affluent individual or a political, commercial, civic or religious organisation.
The issue of gender inequality in architecture has been part of the profession's discourse for many years, yet the continuing gender imbalance in architectural education and practice remains a difficult subject. This book seeks to change that. It provides the first ever attempt to move the debate about gender in architecture beyond the tradition of gender-segregated diagnostic or critical discourse on the debate towards something more propositional, actionable and transformative.
Other resources and articles
- RIBA Collections research guide: women in architecture
- RIBA Collections: A dwelling of her own - housing for single, working women in the 20th century
- How can FAME architects overcome barriers in the profession?
- Remembering Minnette de Silva: the architect in a sari
Find out more about RIBA's equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) work.
