Women of the World - Celebrating Women at the Royal Albert Hall

Last night, I had the opportunity to attend WOW at 15 at the Royal Albert Hall in London - the 15th anniversary of the WOW (Women Of the World) festival. Since starting in 2010, WOW has grown to reach a global alliance of millions of people across six continents aiming to drive equal rights for women and girls.

This year, with all the events in the headlines in the US and around the world, it wasn't just an event—it was a rallying cry, a reminder that conversations about equity and empowerment aren't optional luxuries, but essential catalysts for change.

The Reality Check: A Powerful Moment

At the start of the event, Jude Kelly, the host and WOW founder, asked us to stand or raise our hands in response to her questions for the audience. People in the audience stood for having a cat, for hating cats and for various everyday identities.

Then came the critical question: "Stand if you believe we will achieve gender equity or equality in our lifetime."

The result? Not quite optimistic.

Only around 15% of the audience stood. Fewer people believed they would live to see the attainment of gender equality than those who identified as cat owners! 

In a room of 4,000 attendees wanting to hear about women's empowerment, this striking visual spoke volumes.

Even in this space dedicated to progress and hope, true equity still feels out of reach for many. This moment crystallized why the fight for gender equity remains so vital fifteen years on—the gap between hope and belief remains painfully wide.

Voices That Resonated

The lineup of speakers brought wisdom that will echo long after the event:

Angela Davis delivered a message to reassure people about the instability of the world today. She powerfully reminded us that the people who drive change in the world, are not necessarily the individuals in power of our countries. She reframed our understanding of history, reminding us that enslaved people and their allies—not simply Abraham Lincoln—were the true individuals that liberated slaves.

Annie Lennox, famous for her song Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), shared her journey as a "global feminist" with disarming honesty, speaking about her neurodiverse brain and her vision for The Circle charity. What resonated most was her emphasis on partnership—that men belong beside us in this work, not as spectators, but as active participants in creating change.

Jordan Stephens, the British rapper, actor, presenter and writer, spoke about the intersection of activism and mental health through his work with I AM WHOLE, offering a refreshingly human perspective on sustainable advocacy.

Sandi Toksvig, a Danish-British broadcaster, comedian, and co-presenter of The Great British Bake Off, brought both humor and gravity. She highlighted that only 0.5% of recorded history documents women's stories. She observes that a big problem is that "Wikipedia is 80% by, and about, white men. It is, of course, not the only place where women are erased. I have decided this is not OK." With many women not being considered "notable" enough to have an entry, a bias in Wikipedia's notability standards is apparent. At the University of Cambridge, her Mappa Mundi project stands as an online space to reclaim women's stories—quite literally putting women back on the map of history.

When Music Becomes Movement

The evening also sent powerful messages to the audience through music. A 150-strong choir performed a special composition for WOW by Errollyn Wallen advocating for freedom for little girls. Voices from Lips Choir, Mulberry School for Girls, and St Boniface RC Primary School, conducted by Jessie Maryon Davies, filled the hall alongside the powerful organ performance. In that moment, music was used as a powerful force to highlight how women's voices must not be silenced—each note carrying the weight of possibility.

Where do we go from here?

WOW at 15 powerfully reminded us that meaningful change rarely starts from the top. It is people like you and me that have the power to change the world for the better.

Although we were all there with a shared purpose of advancing gender equity, it is clear that there is diverse opinion on the best ways to achieve it.

For example, Angela Davis raised some interesting points about the impact of socialism and capitalism, suggesting that, in her view, the world would be more equitable if it were socialist. The effect on gender equity of socialist economies versus capitalist ones is something I look forward to learning more about in my economics studies. In the meantime, I will continue to build this platform to promote equity and opportunity for women and girls.

Join the Movement

I encourage you to explore the full WOW at 15 programme and learn more about these remarkable speakers and their work:

👉 Explore the full WOW at 15 programme here
👉 Learn more about WOW at the Royal Albert Hall