Human rights work at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
5th April 2023
Within the framework of International Women’s Day, the British Embassy in Caracas held the “Ambassador for a Day Contest”, an initiative of the British Government to promote the participation of young women in leadership roles. As a result, UK Heads of Mission around the world give hundreds of women the chance to experience first-hand our […]
2nd March 2022 Belgrade, Serbia
The world watched with horror as Vladimir Putin ordered his armed forces to launch an unprovoked, unjustified and illegal attack upon Ukraine. People all around the world have witnessed with admiration the extraordinary calm courage shown by the people of Ukraine. As a young diplomat I first travelled to Ukraine in the late 1980s. I was in Moscow […]
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9th December 2021 Geneva
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. It has brought to the fore – and exacerbated – different forms of inequality. This is especially true amongst high-risk and vulnerable groups. Children and young people have been denied their education. Violence against women and LGBTI persons has increased. Democracy and the […]
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23rd July 2021 Geneva, Switzerland
After 13 sessions, dozens of resolutions, and innumerable late nights staring square-eyed at incomprehensible drafting changes, my tenure as part of the UK’s negotiating team at the UN Human Rights Council finally concluded last week. It had been a tense session, conducted mostly virtually: as I’ve commented elsewhere, it can be difficult to reach compromise […]
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3rd May 2021
Of the many freedoms that make up a democratic and fair society, the importance of freedom of media is one of the most often overlooked. World Press Freedom Day is a chance to remind ourselves of the crucial work being done by independent journalists, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and all over the world, and to […]
10th December 2020 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Since 1991, a global campaign has run from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until 10 December, Human Rights Day. The 16 days of Activism sees individuals and organisations from across the world, unite against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Together, we demonstrate solidarity with survivors, raise awareness, and […]
Read more on Orange the World: The UK’s Response to Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls in Sri Lanka | Reply
9th December 2020 Holy See
As British Ambassador to the Holy See I have been privileged to work with some of the 650,000 Catholic women religious who are combating the global issues affecting the world today: from the response to the Covid-19 pandemic to modern slavery, from helping victims of sexual violence in conflict to protecting the planet, women religious […]
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15th July 2019 Dublin, Ireland
Welcome to the first edition of my blog. I intend to use it to share both reflections on important policy issues and some more personal impressions from my experiences here in Dublin and right across the beautiful country of Ireland. Today, however, I would like to focus on the incredibly important topic of media freedom. […]
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19th March 2019 Geneva, Switzerland
The implementation of the rule of law, like human rights and fundamental freedoms, is a key means by which the power of the state is constrained. While human rights address the relationship between the state and its people, the rule of law governs the relationship between the branches of the state. Its implementation ensures that […]
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15th November 2018 Burma
Before starting my posting to Burma, I was frequently asked, “What can an Ambassador actually do in a country like Burma?”. It was a good question! The recent crisis in Rakhine State and the traumas faced by the Rohingya have been widely reported in the news. Less well known are: the violent conflicts in other […]