Sam Woolven

Leaving UAE having met so many amazing women there, in Qatar and in Saudi Arabia, women who have so much more opportunity in their lives than previous generations ever did 🇸🇦🇶🇦🇦🇪 @FCDOGovUK 🇬🇧 Special Envoy for Women and Girls

At #UNGA80 Foreign Sec @YvetteCooperMP called on world leaders to step up progress on women’s rights. @GOVUK will stand firm against rising misogyny and work to end violence against women and girls. gov.uk/government/spe…

Last week the UK and Nepal joined the UN’s Feminist Foreign Policy + group. We will use this group to deepen our collaboration with partners around the world on meaningfully integrating gender equality into our foreign policy and diplomacy.

“We celebrate the new generation of women in diplomacy who are determined to work alongside male colleagues on equal terms and make a difference in the world.” Inspiring words from UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, @HarrietHarman, here in Geneva for #WomenInDiplomacy Day

A fantastic and productive week in Cairo meeting with the @UKinEgypt team to strengthen our work on gender, equalities and social inclusion. And some brilliant meetings with local civil society, academics, @UNWomenEgypt, @UNICEF_Egypt and @UNFPAEgypt 🧕🏼👩🏽‍🔬👩🏽‍⚖️

Happy #PrideMonth 🌈 Everyone, everywhere should be equal, safe, and free to be themselves. I'm proud to know many LGBT+ community members and activists around the world who are working hard to achieve this important goal 🌍🏳️‍🌈 Together, we can deliver meaningful equality!

Yesterday I met my friend and Special Envoy for Women and Girls @HarrietHarman. As a life-long trailblazer for women's rights, she will work with me to help ensure women and girls are at the heart of our priorities, from growth and security to climate and development.

We will never put women and girls' rights up for negotiation. There can be no going backwards – only forwards. “Three decades after the world came together in Beijing, we agreed a Political Declaration to advance the rights of all women and girls.” @Lord_Collins at #CSW69

Fantastic news! Political Declaration adopted at #CSW69 🌍 I'm proud of the fantastic diplomats in our embassies across the MENA region who have been proactively engaging to discuss this vital issue. Women's rights are under threat & the world needs to step up in defence 💪🏼

On #IWD2025, I'm reflecting on how the UK and our embassies across the world can better support local women's rights organisations, peacebuilders, humanitarian workers, and activists. Read about these 8 extraordinary women driving change ⤵️ linkedin.com/pulse/8-extrao…

In the Middle East and North Africa, there is still significant progress needed to ensure women are meaningfully included throughout societies and economies. I'm honoured to have met many pioneering women across the past year who are delivering change for their communities.

When women can fulfill their rights, freedoms, and potential, societies and economies will thrive 💪🏼📈 On #InternationalWomensDay, the UK has announced a new Special Envoy for Women and Girls, to champion #GenderEquality globally 🌍🇬🇧 Read more ⤵️ gov.uk/government/new…

The Foreign Secretary has appointed @HarrietHarman as Special Envoy for Women and Girls to champion gender equality worldwide and help deliver global economic growth.   #InternationalWomensDay2025 #AccelerateAction #IWD2025

The 69th @UN Commission on the Status of Women starts next week. 30 years on, the UK remains committed to the Beijing Declaration on gender equality. Defending women and girls’ rights is a UK priority.

I took part in a busy and impactful set of engagements in Riyadh and Jeddah last week, alongside the UK Gender Envoy 🇬🇧-🇸🇦 We discussed the positive impact of women's economic inclusion, our priorities for #CSW69, and how multilateral orgs and dev banks can champion equality.

An HIV test from home @10DowningStreet Sir Keir Starmer has become the first Prime Minister and G7 leader to take a public HIV test, as part of National HIV Testing Week which starts today. You can order a free, quick and easy HIV test now at startswithme.org.uk

The UK’s Special Envoy for Gender Equality @AliciaH_1 made her first visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this week. In this video she shares her reflections and observations on the progress being made in the Kingdom. 🇬🇧🤝🇸🇦 #genderequity #studyukalumniawards

I had to get the obligatory picture of the office from above, as I head back to HQ for some meetings this week 🇬🇧

It was fantastic to see this meeting take place as part of the Iraqi PM's delegation to the UK 🇮🇶-🇬🇧 I visited our team in @UKinIraq last year and was glad to see the work we're doing alongside Iraqi women's organisations to support women and girls throughout the country.

I met with @IraqiGovt Planning Minister and @IraqiPMO Advisor on Women’s Affairs to strengthen our development partnership. Our focus is to promote the rights of women and girls in Iraq and support Iraq’s resilience through collaboration on climate change and economic reform.