8th March 2021
Colombo, Sri Lanka
The UK Chooses To Challenge: How The British High Commission and British Council are championing gender quality in Sri Lanka? Each year, on 8 March, the world comes together to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). We advocate for women’s equality, honour the achievements of women and support female-focused organisations. This is all aimed at striving […]
Read more on UK In Sri Lanka: #ChooseToChallenge for Gender Equality | Reply
14th October 2020
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made” (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) The campaign for local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina is about to begin. While there are many things we do not yet know about how those elections will run, we can be confident that women – as candidates, as decision-makers, and as […]
Read more on Visible Women | Reply
8th March 2017
Vienna, Austria
When I was in Kyiv, some Ukrainian colleagues used to express scepticism about International Women’s Day. They saw it as tokenism; a relic of the bad old days when Soviet authorities gave lip-service to women’s rights while men dominated positions of power. One result was that although I wrote several blogs to mark International Women’s […]
Read more on How to break the barriers that hold back women and girls | Reply
7th March 2017
Delhi, India
Growing up in Australia, like all kids, I was curious and inquisitive about the ‘science’ behind things. Encouraged by a school teacher mother and an engineer father, I coveted a plastic microscope and a chemistry set. But, like many other kids, I lost confidence in my abilities in science and maths. Growing up in India, […]
Read more on Women in STEM: closing the gender gap | Reply
13th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Tidying out an Embassy cupboard recently, a colleague found a booklet that I first read when I joined the Diplomatic Service in 1986. Even then the 1965 Guidance to Diplomatic Service Officers and Wives posted to Diplomatic Missions Overseas seemed quaint and outdated. Looking at it now some of the advice seems better suited to […]
Read more on Some ‘Do’s’ and ‘Don’ts’ of Diplomatic Etiquette | Reply (1)
26th February 2016
Geneva, Switzerland
I am not your typical intern. I am about to turn 35, I have 2 children aged 5 and 3, and a previous career as a Barrister. I traded in late night briefs, daily court advocacy and negotiations, and challenging clients for the trials and tribulations of child rearing and home making. Eighteen months ago […]
Read more on Not your typical intern | Reply (1)
14th April 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
‘Women in Leadership’ is not a new concept in Ethiopia. From Queen Eleni, the wife of the Ethiopian Medieval King ZeraYaqob, to Empress Taitu, this country has had its share of iron ladies. So may I congratulate Her Excellency W/ro Aster Mamo, just appointed Deputy Prime Minister #DPM for Good Governance and Reform and Minister […]
Read more on Ethiopia’s First Female DPM | Reply
2nd December 2013
Mogadishu, Somalia
As part of our support to the 16 days of activism campaign, I have invited some of our partners to share their stories. Abdisalan Buthul Shurie is a Programme Advisor at the Somali Aid Foundation (SAF). The organisation provides support to communities in Lower Juba across a range of issues including health, hygiene, and gender-based […]
Read more on Giving hope to the poor and the vulnerable | Reply (3)
25th November 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
One in every three women in the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, according to the UN. Violence against women is a human rights violation and a crime. It is a result of discrimination against women and an effort to entrench persisting inequalities between men and women. It […]
Read more on Fighting Violence Against Women | Reply (1)
22nd November 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Last July, London hosted the historic 2012 London Summit on Family Planning, which reestablished family planning as a top global health priority. Last week 3000 advocates, researchers, health professionals and political leaders from over 100 countries came to Addis Ababa for the third International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP). The theme was “Full Access, Full […]
Read more on Full access and full choice | Reply (2)
