As the summer break approaches I wanted to take this opportunity to send you an update on the work I have been doing over the last few months and to give you information on some really important organisations that I am passionate about and have been working with. I was pleased to attend the ‘End Sexual Violence in Conflict’ global summit in London in June. Co-chaired by Angelina Jolie and the UK Foreign Secretary William Hague. It brought important attention to an urgent need to tackle the use of sexual assault as a weapon of war. During the conference a new protocol was announced; International Protocol on the documentation and investigation of sexual violence in conflict It is part of the campaign to build the momentum needed to tip the world past the point of no return and to permanently remove war zone rape. Countries have to work together in new and unprecedented ways and we need to prosecute the worst of the perpetrators. Please do read this and share with your network.
As many of you know, each year I host a breakfast in Washington D.C. to bring together experts, colleagues and friends to discuss a topic I am passionate about. This year the title was ‘Beijing +20: Unfinished Business’. In 2015 it will be two decades since Hillary Clinton’s speech to the Fourth Women's Conference in Beijing, China, where the now famous quote was first spoken - "human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights"
There has been progress and change in this time, but we still have so much to do and we need to continue to campaign to reach global equality. I will shortly be posting a full blog on this.
The 13th Annual Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards in Washington D.C. took place on June 17th. As always this was an important time to recognise the incredible women fighting throughout the globe for equality and rights. Please do visit the Vital Voices website to find out more about this year’s award recipicants and the organization. This year the incredible women included; Razan Zaitouneh a lawyer who disappeared on December 9th 2013. She was abducted with two other civil activists and is still missing. Claudia Paz, the first woman Attorney General in Guatemala. She is helping to make change against a culture of impunity, and Priti Patker from India who is working to restore the rights of women and girls in India, who have been exploited by gender based violence.
A large part of my current work is as a founding member of the 30% Club, the campaign group launched in the UK in 2010 with a goal of 30% women on FTSE-100 boards by end 2015. We have currently achieved 22.2% up from 12.6%. I am pleased to announce that the organisation was launched in the USA on June 18th with speakers from the UK and the US. It was a fantastic turnout at Bloomberg in New York and I am pleased to say that 25 Chairman have signed up to be a part of this chapter of the 30% Club.
On July 1st the annual 30% Club Global Summit took place in London with speakers and representatives from Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, Ireland and USA. I am pleased to also share that a 30% Club in Ireland will be launching on December 4th in Dublin.
I recently spoke at the Economist Talent Conference in London. Where both Helena Morrissey and I spoke about the importance of flexible working in a changing workplace and how this will ensure that companies continue to attract the best top talent.
It was a great pleasure to recently be interviewed for the Financial Times – ‘Human rights advocate Baroness Goudie and the fight to end slavery’ This was a great opportunity to bring attention to the issues I am campaigning for.
Thank you so much for supporting this blog and for taking an interest in my work and the issues that need to be at the top of the global agenda. Please do share my blog with your network and follow me on twitter @BaronessGoudie
Enjoy the summer.
Best,
Baroness Goudie