International Women's Day 2022

The Duchess of Cornwall has marked International Women’s Day 2022 by welcoming inspirational women to Clarence House.

The Duchess is President of the Women of the World Festival, an annual event that celebrates women and girls and looks at the obstacles that stop them from achieving their potential. Today Her Royal Highness hosted a reception to mark International Women’s Day ahead of this year’s festival which begins on Friday 11th March.

Among the guests at the reception were Fawzia Amini, Ferozan Easar Qasimi and Alia Popal, who were judges in Afghanistan’s courts before the Taliban returned to power. The three women were evacuated with their families along with over 100 women judges, journalists and human rights defenders.

Last week, The Duchess of Cornwall welcomed Fawzia, Ferozan and Alia to Clarence House for tea alongside Baroness Helena Kennedy.

Baroness Kennedy is Director of the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, the organisation that managed to secure the safe evacuation of the women

Her Royal Highness also met the other attendees, including the Ukrainian Ambassador’s wife Inna Prystaiko, journalist Elizabeth Day and Spice Girl Melanie Brown.

During a speech, The Duchess spoke about gender equality across the globe and mentioned “the heart-breaking conditions in Ukraine, where democracy and freedom are under brutal attack.”

Later, The Duchess of Cornwall celebrated the achievements of three female rowers, who crossed the Atlantic in record time to raise money for three cancer charities.

Kat Cordiner, who has cancer, Abby Johnston and Charlotte Irving, all part of Team ExtraOARdinary, arrived in Antigua in January after rowing at sea for 42 days, seven hours and 17 minutes.

They beat the previous record set by a female trio in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge by seven days.