Women diplomats at News18 SheShakti 2025 call for equal spaces, stronger voices

News18 SheShakti 2025, presented by Lions International, recently concluded its Delhi celebration. The platform celebrated and honoured leading women of New Bharat who are exploring the unchartered territories and advancing the nation. Among the many visionaries across policy, governance, arts, sports, entertainment, and entrepreneurship, global diplomats and ambassadors highlighted the importance of women leaders in times of national turbulence and shifts.

The conversation was kick-started by British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, who discussed the crucial skills that allowed her to make her mark in several traditionally male-dominated fields and get her voice heard: confidence and self-belief. Cameron highlighted that a woman’s visibility in such fields is her superpower, enabling her to voice opinions, especially during conflict. She believes women have a natural ability to become strong advocates for peace, having historically enduring the most of national and international conflicts. She further shed light on the importance of diverse female role models, as it redefines the possibilities of women’s capabilities and emphasised that genuine transformation in male-dominated fields can occur only when women are included in those spaces to contribute to the change.

Building on the momentum, Ambassador of Lithuania to India, Diana Mickevičienė, highlighted how the glass ceiling for women in diplomacy has not entirely been shattered but shifted higher up. Adding to it further, Consular Department, Embassy of Ukraine in India, Olena Ilchuk, acknowledged the significant change in the last 10 years. She underlined the cruel nature of the glass ceiling as it often manifests internally, making women underestimate themselves. Mickevičienė noted that societal and gendered roles have traditionally held women back, but there is a gradual change as roles are being shared more equally. She emphasised that this transformation not only requires societal shifts but also equal representation within diplomatic offices.

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At News18 SheShakti 2025, the diplomats and ambassadors panel moved from global affairs to personal journeys, leaving the audience with a clear call: women must claim their space with resilience, determination, and empowerment. Know more at https://www.news18features.com/she-shakti-2025/