On the 25th November, during our ‘Women & Safety: Home, Travel, Abroad’ in partnership with Girls on Travel webinar, we will discuss the place of violence and safety for women at home, on the road and abroad. A confident business woman might still face concerns when travelling, or have a situation at home they are not talking about. And the society you are visiting, might have different social norms and culture to yours.

We will be joined by expert speakers discussing their experience, both personal and professional, at home, during travel and exploration. We will also talk about what abuse is, and how it may manifest both verbally and physically. We will provide information about charities and organisations to contact for support.

During this pandemic, UN Women has alerted countries worldwide that the violence against women has been on the rise, causing a widespread shadow pandemic, affecting girls and women worldwide. We wish to raise awareness and come together as a group to share the knowledge we have.

Theme: Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!

The UN System’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence activities, from 25 November to 10 December, will take place under UN Women 2020 global theme: "Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!"

"As the world retreated inside homes due to the lockdown measures introduced to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, reports showed an alarming increase in the already existing pandemic of violence against women."

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.

Speakers

Caroline Neil - Managing Director of RPS Partnership

Caroline started her professional career working within the security sector to stop violence in religiously divided communities in the UK and for the last 25 years has worked around the globe as a security and risk mitigation consultant and trainer. She is now the Managing Director of RPS Partnership, which provides security advice, training and travel support for a broad range of companies and NGOs; including journalists and humanitarians.

Caroline has had the most amazing career, “meandering” her way around the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America and Asia, having the privilege of experiencing different cultures pre and post their revolutions and wars. She has worked in conflict, post conflict and every type of location inbetween, always trying to keep international and national staff safe; from Iraq and DRC to Pakistan and Syria pre and during the war. Caroline is passionate about capacity building and has led the way in Training of Trainers for national staff overseas; enabling them to deliver training in their own country in their own languages and often empowering national women to help themselves.

She has seen harassment and violence in its varying forms against women whilst travelling; in homes and at work; in offices and in the field, as well as closer to home when she has run Female Traveller workshops. Harassment and mental abuse in the workplace is more common than you think!

Caroline uses her skills and experience to help female travellers stay safe whilst travelling as well as offering them techniques to help themselves deal with situations in which they may find themselves. Caroline knows what it is like to return home from her travels to find that this safe space is not so safe anymore and is keen to shine a light on the fact that it can happen to anyone.

Christine Dennison – Ocean and Polar Explorer, Expedition Leader, Advocate for Women's Rights and Environmental Champion

Christine Dennison is the co-founder and President of Mad Dog Expeditions, an international adventure and exploration company that pioneered and documented diving and exploration of the High Arctic and the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. She is also the founder of ExploringWomen.com, a community of role models for women in adventure and exploration.

She is a polar expedition specialist and leader with expertise in operations and logistics in extreme and remote environments of the world. She has skied to the North Pole to raise awareness of climate change and protection of our environment.

Christine has been diving for over 20 years and is the first woman to dive, document explore the icy waters and ice caves of the Canadian High Arctic Northwest Passage and the tannic waters of the Brazilian Amazon's Rio Negro and its tributaries.

Christine is a member of THE LOST 52 Project Team which has made several historic US WW2 Submarine discoveries with entombed servicemen. Christine is a Fellow of the prestigious Royal Geographic Society in London, and has been awarded the Medal of Honor from the Brazilian Navy League , The Humanitarian Silver Medal from International Navy League (Fidalmar) and is recognised as an Honorary Submariner by the Brazilian Navy.

Christine contributes to news media as an on air expert sharing her insights for businesses and individuals on adapting to change, surviving and thriving under stress, risk assessment and management.

Claire Bull - Director/Lead Trainer at Better Bodies UK

Claire’s professional career began in the Close Protection Industry and moved from there into the Prison Service where she spent 16 years as a specialist PE officer and teacher. Claire taught a variety of different sports recreationally but her main passion was teaching prisoners to become personal trainers and helping them gain employment on release. During her prison service career Claire supported development and delivery of stress awareness packages and trained in the role of family liaison officer and suicide/self-harm response.

After her career in the prison service Claire has used her skills and qualifications in both mental and physical health and continues to support unemployed learners into work and corporate companies into offering their employees a better working environment.

Claire is a survivor of childhood and adult abuse and uses her experiences and life to help support others to find a positive and self-fulfilling path. As a trained crisis counsellor she aims to help others reach their full potential no matter how difficult the journey.

Paulina Neil – Criminal Justice Worker, Support Worker for adult survivors of child sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault

Paulina Neil currently works as a Criminal Justice Worker with women offenders in North Yorkshire. In addition to this, she works a couple of evenings a week as a Support Worker for adult survivors of child sexual abuse, rape or sexual assault.

Her interests in these areas began a few years ago when she started a university degree in Criminology and Police Studies. Along with this, she is also currently completing a diploma to become an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser - a role which she hopes to pursue in the near future. Prior to this, she has worked in very diverse sectors across Europe and Australasia, including hospitality, adult/childcare, teaching and office work.

Paulina also has experience of living in very remote areas of the world, having worked as a governess in Outback Australia whilst loyally abiding by the saying ‘the only good snake, is a dead snake’!

When she is not busy with studying or working, she enjoys travelling, learning languages, outdoor activities, photography, foraging, gardening, cooking & baking, or just reading a book.

Organisers:

SheTravel

Business and leisure trips often take us to destinations where the culture and traditions differ from our own, and sometimes to locations which carry higher risk to personal safety. That’s why SheTravel, and founder Anna-Liisa Tampuu, decided to bring together women who travel with this women’s–only network. To share experiences, create a secure space to ask questions from a network of fellow travellers and read interesting articles and top tips for female travellers to share information to aid safe travel, wherever in the world their choice of destination may be.

SheTravel is powered by Northcott Global Solutions, a leading Global Emergency Assistance Company, giving SheTravel a wealth of experience, expertise and support to provide information and assistance to all travellers.

Instagram: @shetravelglobal

Twitter: @SheTravelGlobal

Girls on Travel

Globetrotter and self-proclaimed ‘travel addict’ Gaëlle De Vriendt is the founder of Girls on Travel, a travel company connecting and empowering solo women travellers with incredible trips to diverse destinations, including the Greek Islands, South America and many more.

The ethos behind Girls on Travel is that holidays create a real sense of companionship and enable you to create new-found friendships, learn about other cultures and make some incredible memories to boot. With a curated travel programme, all the nitty gritty details taken care of and an ambassador joining you throughout the entirety of the trip, female travellers are able to just kick back, relax and fully enjoy their globetrotting adventure.

Instagram: @girls.on.travel

Facebook: @girlsontravel

Zoom details will be sent a day before the event.