Tam and Abel and Master Luhan and Bran al'Vere are all close friends and the Town Council there is taken very seriously. Certainly the Women's Circle is equal, but they seem to have a division of responsibility according to Nynaeve in TGS.

Additionally we have Thom and Basel Gill as well as all the Highlords sons Mat plays cards with in the Stone ... the bonding is there.

So are the organizations in many ways. All the guilds in Ebu Dar are male organizations ... to the point that the Inn Keepers (who are all female) would be scandalized if they were referred to as a Guild.