In a powerful gathering at London's Kings Place, a panel of distinguished women came together to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our time: the systematic silencing of women across the globe. The event, hosted by Guardian Live, served as a rallying cry for International Women's Day, featuring voices from the front lines of this struggle.
Challenging Historical and Contemporary Oppression
The panel, chaired by The Guardian's senior international affairs correspondent Emma Graham-Harrison, brought together diverse perspectives on how women are fighting back against oppression. They explored contemporary challenges and the deliberate sidelining of female achievements throughout history by male historians and gatekeepers.
Danish-British comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig shared details about her groundbreaking Mappa Mundi project at Cambridge University. This ambitious initiative is mapping the world from a female perspective, creating an interactive platform to share crucial data on both the challenges women face and their remarkable successes.
Voices from the Front Lines
Zahra Joya, the exiled editor-in-chief of Rukhshana Media, provided a harrowing account of the situation in Afghanistan. Her organisation reports on and for Afghan women, and she is campaigning for gender apartheid to be officially recognised as a crime under international law.
Award-winning Turkish-British novelist and political scientist Elif Shafak spoke about her personal experience with persecution. In 2019, her novels became targets for 'crimes of obscenity' by Turkish prosecutors, leading to her current life in self-imposed exile in London.
Solidarity and Support in Action
The event was not merely about discussion but about tangible support. In a significant show of solidarity, Guardian Live donated 50% of the event's profits to Joya's Rukhshana Media, directly supporting their vital reporting work for Afghan women.
The emotional highlight came when Toksvig and Joya embraced on stage, symbolising the global sisterhood and shared determination to break the silence imposed upon women. The discussion, held on Monday 24 November 2025, underscored the urgent need to document women's stories and achievements that have been historically ignored or suppressed.
As these influential voices demonstrated, women worldwide are not only challenging oppression but are actively creating new platforms and systems to ensure their stories are heard, recorded, and celebrated for generations to come.
