The Duchess of Sussex joined a panel discussion convened by The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust to mark International Women’s Day 2019.
Hosted by Kings College London, the event brought together a special panel of thought-leaders and activists to discuss a range of issues affecting women today.
Alongside The Duchess was Annie Lennox OBE, founder of The Circle, an organisation supporting and empowering women’s lives around the world; Adwoa Aboah, founder of Gurls Talk, an open community where young girls can talk about the issues that matter to them; Julia Gillard, Former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.
Also on the panel was Chrisann Jarrett, Founder of Let us Learn; and Angeline Murimirwa, Executive Director of the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) in Africa and co-founder of CAMA, a pan-African network of young female leaders and Anne McElvoy, Senior Editor of The Economist was chair.
To coincide with the panel discussion, it has been announced that The Duchess will become Vice-President of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.
As Vice-President, The Duchess of Sussex will highlight QCT’s partnerships with young people across the Commonwealth, with particular focus on work supporting women and girls.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust – of which The Queen is Patron and The Duke of Sussex is President – exists to champion, fund and connect young leaders around the world.
“If things are wrong and there is a lack of justice, and there is an inequality, then someone needs to say something, and why not me?” asked the Duchess of Sussex at the event.
In front of an audience of students, opinion formers and young leaders, today’s discussion focussed on the importance of International Women’s Day, and the spotlight it can bring to obstacles which still affect female empowerment across the world, including access to education and limitations within employment.
The panel also covered the positive opportunities that come when women are given wider access and equal opportunity, whether that be in the UK or elsewhere in the world.
Source: Royal.uk
