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United Nations General Assembly: championing women and girls’ rights
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8th March 2012 Ottawa, Canada
In the name of equality
Today is International Women’s Day – a day that has been observed since the early 1900’s – a time that saw great expansion and turbulence in the industrialized world, and women’s inequality and oppression was starting to spark debate and active campaigning for change. The day has now become recognised globally – across developed and […]
8th March 2012 Warsaw, Poland
The British Polish salmon, whisky and tea run!
Great job guys! I’ve just got home, put my feet up and am tucking into a great salmon sandwich, a cup of Harrogate green tea and you know what, I’m going to try some of my best single malt this evening. It’s been a great day. Let me tell you why. My expert colleague in […]
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8th March 2012 Dublin, Ireland
International Women’s Day – female guest bloggers
Today is a very important day. It is my birthday. More seriously, it is International Women’s Day. The role of woman in European society has evolved a lot in recent years, mostly in a positive direction. However, there is a great deal still to do. Women are still under represented at the top levels in […]
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8th March 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Girl Power
Today is International Women’s Day, with the theme of “Connecting Girls, Inspiring Futures”. The focus is on events that involve, educate and inspire girls to reach their full potential and enjoy equal and empowered futures. Many British diplomatic colleagues around the world will be blogging about this subject from different angles, not least the economic […]
7th March 2012 Washington DC, USA
Investing in the Olympic Legacy
London is probably the coolest city on earth. As a native Londoner I may be biased, but this week I’m back home for work and taking some time off to catch up with friends and family. I’m staying with my fashion fabulous friend, a stylist and dress-designer who has recently expanded her business into several […]
7th March 2012 Budapest, Hungary
Completing the free market
I’ll be spending a lot of my time on bilateral Hungary-UK issues over the next few years. But of course another important feature of my work will be our countries’ relationship with the EU and how the EU will develop. With that in mind I went to a well attended seminar on the EU’s future […]
7th March 2012 Washington DC, USA
An unconventional flapper lives the American Dream
My mother’s mother was born early in the 20th century in a small Welsh mining village. She was the third of 11 children and she left school – illegally – at 12 to work in a factory. This was not uncommon – indeed only her very youngest sister finished school. Married at 17, to avoid […]
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7th March 2012 Beirut, Lebanon
Humanitarians, Hacks, and Heroes
Last week was full of surprises. On Sunday night, Valerie Amos, head of UN humanitarian affairs, arrived at short notice. I had worked closely with her several years ago when she was a Minister for Africa, so it was great to reminisce. But more importantly, we were able to discuss how best to persuade the […]
7th March 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ambassadors in high heels heading your way?
This time last year I published a blog, Ambassadors in high heels, drawing attention to the importance of female diplomats both as high-impact top performers and as role models. This recorded the excellent tale of our then ambassador in Baku, Carolyn Browne, discussing with upwardly-mobile female diplomats in Azerbaijan the potential conflict between looking one’s […]
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7th March 2012 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Home of Peace: Educating and Empowering Vulnerable Girls
To mark International Women’s Day, I’m delighted that Gail Featherstone, the wife of the High Commissioner, has agreed to write a guest blog on the efforts of one woman to give underprivileged girls in Malaysia a genuine chance in life.
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