Each year, the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) brings together global leaders, policymakers, activists, and organisations to shape the future of gender equality. It is one of the most influential global gatherings when it comes to women’s rights, with outcomes that extend far beyond the rooms they are discussed in.
Led by UN Women, the work of CSW helps to set the global agenda, influencing policy, corporate strategy, and the wider direction of travel for equality across industries and societies. This year, CSW70 gave me the opportunity to support UN Women UK across two weeks in March. While the agenda itself was global, much of what I took away was far more personal than I had anticipated.
On paper, CSW is about policy, progress reviews, and international commitments. In reality, it is where global ambition meets lived experience, and where the gap between the two becomes impossible to ignore. Gender equality is not something that exists in theory; it is something people are still navigating daily, both in their careers and in their lives. Being in that environment brings a level of proximity to the issue that is difficult to replicate elsewhere.
There are moments from those two weeks that have stayed with me in a way I didn’t expect. One day in particular stands out, the UN Women UK In-Person Event in Tower Hamlets, London. My brain inspired and I throughout the day I could feel myself thinking ahead to how I would translate what I was hearing back into my work. I spent the day listening to and speaking with women who were not only exceptional in their fields, but also grounded, generous, and refreshingly humble. There was no ego in the room, just a shared focus on impact, which is always where the most meaningful conversations happen.
Hearing from Tabitha Morton, CEO of UN Women UK, brought a level of insight that can only come from being at the centre of the conversation as it evolves. It was a reminder that this work is not static; it is constantly shifting, responding, and developing in line with what is needed globally. A comment from Halima Kure has stayed with me ever since: “Justice isn’t just decided in the courts, it must be built into our systems.” It is one of those statements that, once heard, fundamentally reframes how you think. It moves the conversation away from policy as a standalone solution and towards the reality that equality must be embedded into the way organisations are designed, led, and operated.
There were other moments that challenged my thinking in different ways. Phoebe W. delivered a workshop with a rebellious, energising style that pushed against traditional approaches and reinforced that this work does not need to follow the same structures that created the problem in the first place. Elaine Banton brought a very real and necessary perspective, highlighting that women’s rights and the laws designed to protect people are only as effective as people’s awareness of them. It sounds straightforward, but it points directly to one of the biggest gaps that still exists today.
What I didn’t expect from those two weeks was the personal impact it would have on me. I went into the experience focused on contribution, on supporting the work, and on understanding how to translate those insights back into the organisations I work with. What I hadn’t anticipated was the extent to which it would reconnect me with my own sense of value.
Over the past couple of years, like many high-performing women, there have been moments where that value has been tested, questioned, or subtly negotiated down. Not always overtly, but enough that, over time, it can shift how you see yourself without you fully realising it.
Being in that environment reset that perspective completely.
Surrounded by women operating at an exceptional level, I wasn’t questioning whether I belonged in the room; I was reminded exactly why I was there. It brought me back to the reality that I sit within a relatively rare category: a woman in STEM, specifically within technology and engineering, with a Computer Science degree and significant corporate leadership experience. When that is combined with the ability to step onto a stage and speak to hundreds or even thousands of people, it places me in a space that is, objectively, exceptional.
And with that comes a responsibility — not just to do the work, but to recognise its value properly. To hold the standard. And to ensure that how I position myself reflects the level I operate at.
A quote from a session titled Remaining at the Table captured this perfectly: “If you are not at the table, you’re on the menu.” It is a direct statement, but one that reflects a broader truth about representation and influence. Being present in the room is not just about visibility; it is about participation in decision-making, in shaping direction, and in influencing outcomes that ultimately affect far more than the individuals within those spaces.
While the energy and insight from CSW70 were powerful, the data continues to provide a grounding reminder of the work still to be done. Women currently make up around 28% of the global STEM workforce, fewer than one in ten CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women, and the global gender pay gap remains at approximately 20%. At the current pace, full gender equality is still projected to take over a century. Progress is being made, but it is not yet happening at the speed or scale required to meet the ambition that is being set.
What these two weeks reinforced for me is that the conversation has moved beyond awareness. Most organisations understand the importance of gender equality and have, in many cases, made commitments towards it. The challenge now lies in how that commitment is translated into reality. This is where the work becomes more complex, and where capability, leadership, and behavioural change come into play.
For me, this experience strengthened the connection between global dialogue and the work I do every day. It reinforced the importance of translating insight into action, and of ensuring that what is discussed at a global level is meaningfully embedded within organisations. Policy alone does not change experience; it is people, leadership, and culture that ultimately determine whether progress is felt in a tangible way.
CSW70 gave me perspective, challenge, and inspiration, but perhaps most importantly, it gave me clarity. Clarity on the value I bring, the space I occupy, and the responsibility that comes with both. Because when you are in those rooms, you are not simply observing the conversation. You are part of it, and that comes with both an opportunity and an expectation to carry that work forward in a meaningful way.
Thank you, UN Women and UN Women UK for choosing me to be part of this momentus event for the 3rd year running. The work continues......