2nd October 2018
Geneva, Switzerland
When the US walked out of the Council last session, there were plenty of doom-mongers foretelling the multiple ways in which everything would fall apart, drawing on the Council’s darker moments of its stuttering early years, before the US joined. There may be more testing times ahead, but this was the Council’s most successful session […]
Read more on Growing Up | Reply
19th March 2018
Geneva, Switzerland
Since the number of blog followers clamouring for a Council update has now reached single figures (thanks Nuala) I thought I’d better respond. It’s been busy. And cold. But mostly busy. As the 3rd week of the session came to end, UN staff voted to go on strike over impending allowance cuts, which suspended the […]
Read more on The Chill Factor | Reply (2)
15th September 2016
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Democracy is the best path to long term peace, stability and sustainable development. It doesn’t just mean elections, though they are important too. It’s about having a say in the decisions that affect us, independent institutions that function as they were intended to and rule of law that upholds our human rights and protects us […]
Read more on Protecting the space | Reply
10th July 2015
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and the Maldives have never been more popular for beach-lovers, backpackers or Brits: over 144,000 British tourists visited Sri Lanka last year, and almost 16,000 holidayed in the Maldives in February alone this year. Around five thousand British Nationals have set down permanent or semi-permanent roots here too. For the most part, travellers […]
Read more on Who you gonna call? Consular services in Colombo | Reply (5)
25th November 2014
Colombo, Sri Lanka
I wanted to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women by partnering with others who feel as strongly. The reaction was so positive that I’ve ended up with two blogs and a campaign. Kofi Annnan described violence against women as a pandemic. Globally, one in three women will have experienced some […]
Read more on What makes a man: why sexism is a men’s issue | Reply
25th November 2014
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Kofi Annnan described violence against women as a pandemic. Globally, one in three women will have experienced some form of violence. In some countries, that increases to 70%. Problems in both the UK and Sri Lanka are well documented – violence against women isn’t an issue of geography, culture or wealth. To mark the International […]
Read more on Eliminating Violence Against Women: Two women take stock | Reply (2)