The Queen Celebrates WOW Festival’s 15th Anniversary and Gender Equality.
The Queen has been a longstanding supporter of the Women Of The World (WOW) Festival since its launch in 2010, becoming its President in 2015. She has attended numerous events around the world, including the WOW Festival in London, showcasing her commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
WOW Festival: Championing Gender Equality
The WOW Festival is a global network of festivals dedicated to promoting gender equality. It celebrates the achievements of women and girls, while addressing the obstacles that prevent them from reaching their full potential. On the occasion of its 15th anniversary, the Queen joined WOW founder Jude Kelly CBE to meet with a diverse group of guests, including WOW supporters, staff, and women leaders from fields ranging from arts to business and education.
Highlighting Young Women and Girls
During the event, Her Majesty also met with young women and girls involved in WOW’s youth programs, which focus on gender inequality and foster inclusion for future generations. These programs are essential in encouraging the next generation of women to advocate for equality and fight for the rights of women and girls around the world.
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The Queen’s Speech on Gender Equality
In her address to the guests, The Queen highlighted the challenges still facing the global fight for gender equality. She pointed out the sobering statistics about how long it will take to address these issues:
- 286 years to remove discriminatory laws globally
- 140 years for women to hold half of the leadership positions in the workplace
- 47 years for women to achieve equal representation in national parliaments
Despite the long road ahead, the Queen expressed hope that gender equality could be achieved much sooner. She praised the inspiring efforts of the amazing women and girls involved in WOW, noting their resilience in not accepting "no" for an answer. Her closing remarks were optimistic, encouraging those in attendance to keep pushing for progress:
"As we look forward to the next 15 years, the task of forging a gender-equal world is a daunting one. At the current rate, globally, it will take an estimated 286 years to remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to hold half the positions of leadership in the workplace and 47 years to be represented equally in national parliaments. But by following in the footsteps of these amazing women and girls who will not take ‘no’ for an answer, we members of the WOW family fervently hope that this will be achieved in a much shorter time. Seeing you all here, I am filled with confidence that, together, we can make sure this happens! Thank you."
Looking Forward to a Gender-Equal World
The Queen’s support for WOW and her speech at the 15th anniversary event underscore the importance of continued collective action in the fight for gender equality. The WOW festival serves as a vital platform for promoting women’s rights, supporting young women in their journey to leadership, and addressing the gender inequality that persists across the globe.
The WOW Foundation is dedicated to building a global movement for gender equality. Founded by Jude Kelly in 2010, the foundation’s mission is to create a gender-equal world, highlighting the challenges women and girls face and celebrating their achievements.
WOW organizes festivals, events, and educational programs to challenge the misconception that gender equality has been fully achieved. The foundation has reached over 5.3 million people across 71 locations on six continents, bringing together individuals, movements, and ideas to drive change.
Since becoming an independent charity in 2018, the WOW Foundation has continued to grow, with Her Majesty The Queen serving as its President. WOW’s global impact is further amplified by partnerships and the support of its dedicated community.
Through the festival and other initiatives, WOW aims to inspire collective action for a more inclusive and equal world for women and girls everywhere.
