INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Why we can’t wait another 133 years

As International Women’s Day is marked around the world, one statistic stands out: at the current rate of progress, full gender equality won’t be reached until 2158, five generations from now. That is far too long.

This year’s theme, Accelerate Action, is a reminder that progress isn’t inevitable; it happens when people step up, challenge barriers, and push for real change. It’s also rarely a straight road. Progress comes from striving, failing, learning, and trying again. Every leader, every change-maker, every woman breaking new ground has faced setbacks, but the key is to keep moving forward.

Public service has always been about making a difference, whether in the justice system, local government, or policing. At 28, I became the youngest magistrate in the country, appointed by the Lord Chancellor, giving me a front-row seat to the realities of the criminal justice system. In 2014, I was elected as the first female Leader of Portsmouth City Council, one of the youngest city leaders in the UK and, 11 years later, remain the only woman to have held the role.

Since 2021, as Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, my focus has been on delivering real improvements in policing. Being the first woman elected to the role, and the first PCC here to be re-elected, I know that representation matters. That’s why encouraging more women into policing has been a priority; because if young women don’t see themselves in leadership, in uniform, or in positions of power, they might never believe they belong there.

I was honoured to attend an event in Portsmouth for the launch of Desk2Educate, an innovative EdTech platform providing accessible, high-quality leadership training for women. Events like this for International Women’s Day are vital. Sitting alongside women from business, sport, education, and politics, the discussion focused on breaking barriers and carving out opportunities to inspire future generations.

The hope is that society won’t still be having this conversation in 133 years. I’ve always had my foot on the pedal to drive change and get things done. I don’t want my granddaughters, if I’m lucky enough to have them, to still be fighting for equality in 133 years. I want them to look back and say: That was the moment things changed.