For the third year running COEL and Birketts once again hosted a celebration of International Women’s Day. 

Held on Friday 7th March at Birketts Cambridge Office, this year’s event took a different format as they steered away from the previous panel discussions which have been focused on topics such as ‘Women and Risk Taking’ or ‘Finding your Element’. This year, the event was titled ‘Why International Women’s Day Matters,’ the audience was asked to vote on which recent equality regulation they felt was most important to them. Presenting the regulations were a range of eminent activists who all had experience in that area, including: 

• Katy Searle – ex-Senior Controller at BBC News and now partner at Coulson Partners, speaking on women’s right to vote. 

• Lord Simon Woolley – Principal at Homerton College on women’s right to go to University and receive a degree. 

• Shantha David – The Lawyer’s Hot #100, Liberty Human Rights Lawyer and partner at Unison Law on women’s right to equal pay. 

After the speakers had pitched for their cause, the audience voted via their phones and as the votes were verified, the audience was treated to a talk given by award winning portfolio GP Dr Julie Hammond and registered midwife and NHS clinical entrepreneur, Gemma Poole, on their mission to provide equal healthcare for all women, with a special emphasis on pregnancy and childbirth. 

The event was chaired by Jane Hutchins, Director of Cambridge Science Park, who herself has spoken on the panel in previous years. Jane announced the results of the vote as being women’s right to vote claiming first place with women’s right to go to University and receive a degree and women’s right to receive equal pay coming in a closely ties second and third place. 

This year the event raised over £600 for Cambridge Global Health Partnerships, a charitable programme based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus which establishes global health partnerships across Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, resulting in their volunteer healthcare professionals improving healthcare delivered to millions of patients. This are particularly effective in providing healthcare which helps girls and young women attend schools and receive an education.  

Maria-Christina Peyman, Partner at Birketts and Lizzie Bradbury, Communication and Engagement Manager at COEL opened the event. They both spoke of their gratitude to the incredible speakers for taking the time to support the event, to the audience for their continued interest and the importance of day in recognizing and appreciating ‘Why International Women’s Day Matters.’