25th June 2014 Washington DC, USA
“What do British people hate?” A straightforward question – but context is everything. When posed by an earnest thirteen-year-old North Korean schoolboy, in a Q&A discussion with British diplomatic visitors, it took me by surprise. But then much of what my colleagues and I experienced during a week-long familiarisation visit to the Democratic People’s Republic […]
23rd June 2014 Los Angeles, USA
I spend my days as a Science and Innovation Officer at the Consulate in Los Angeles, but one of my external passions, and one which lead me to this position, is international development. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to cover the World Conference on Youth in Colombo, Sri Lanka as a Social Media Fellow. […]
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12th June 2014
Sexual violence committed in war zones has been not only an abomination against humanity but a growing problem. Long seen as an inevitable consequence of a breakdown of law and order and often regarded as a ‘lesser crime’, it is increasingly being used as a means of war to humiliate and devastate communities belonging to the […]
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31st March 2014 Houston, USA
There is a certain buzzword that you hear a lot these days. It’s tossed around by business executives, city managers, weather forecasters, even the odd politician. You feel you should be doing it, but you’re not sure how, or even what it means—resilience. What is resilience? Resilience is the ability to “bounce back” quickly from […]
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31st March 2014 Washington DC, USA
Diaspora – from Greek, “scattering, dispersion” Identity can be a complicated thing. What does it mean to be part of a diaspora? Do people always carry the old country with them or do they gradually leave it behind? You could read Zadie Smith or Jhumpa Lahiri for some answers. This isn’t a fictional question for me. Over […]
17th March 2014 Geneva, Switzerland
Human Rights Council sessions are always tough but this one feels particularly lacerating. As we reached the midway point on Friday evening there were some desperate looking faces heading towards the exits, including my own. The impact of several weeks of negotiating human rights at the UN is physically demanding, mentally exhausting and emotionally draining. […]
14th March 2014 Washington DC, USA
Saturday will mark the third anniversary of the start of the conflict in Syria. For me, Syria has been a big part of my working and personal life this week and for the last few years. In my day job we’ve been working with the US and others on ways to secure better access into Syria for […]
8th March 2014
International Women’s Day has been observed in different forms since in the early 1900’s. But in recent years it has gone from strength to strength and become a much more genuinely global and shared event. With such a history, we should expect to see more progress on women’s issues. But women are still not paid […]
3rd March 2014
Late last year, the UN General Assembly decided to make March 3 World Wildlife Day. On this day in 1973, the UN adopted the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, affirming the intrinsic value of wildlife and its various contributions including ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational […]
19th February 2014 Washington DC, USA
My children are the most delightful people I know. You probably feel the same about your children, your grandchildren, your nieces and nephews. My son is a mix of winning charm and 3 year old defiance. My daughter, who is 9 months, is smiley, chubby and cuddly. My children live in a protective environment: one […]