The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC, HE Mrs Annemieke Ruigrok, HE Dr Clemencia Forero-Ucrós and HE Mrs Naela Chohan discuss challenges faced by women diplomats as part of the Women in Diplomacy panel discussion hosted by the AIIA ACT Branch and ANU Gender Institute.

The Honourable Penelope Wensley AC (moderator) is an accomplished diplomat and former Governor of Queensland. Her Ambassadorial appointments included Australian Ambassador to the UN (Geneva and New York), Ambassador for the Environment, High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to France. In all instances, Ms Wensley was the first Australian woman diplomat to occupy these posts.

HE Mrs Annemieke Ruigrok took up her post as Ambassador for The Netherlands to Australia in September 2012. Prior to this she served as Minister Plenipotentiary and Deputy Head of Mission in Jakarta. Mrs Ruigrok has previously held positions as Ambassador in Vilnius, Lithuania, Secretary of Embassy (Political Affairs) in Washington, and Secretary of Embassy (Political Affairs) in Moscow.

HE Dr Clemencia Forero-Ucrós has been Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia to Australia since February 2013, following her previous posting as Ambassador of Colombia to Canada. She has previously served as Colombia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and as delegate of the President of the Republic before the Andean Community, Ambassador of Colombia to Sweden, and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva.

HE Mrs Naela Chohan took up the post of High Commissioner for Pakistan to Australia in October 2014. Prior to this she was serving at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamabad as Additional Foreign Secretary (Middle East and Africa). Mrs Chohan has served as Ambassador of Pakistan to Argentina, Uruguay, Peru and Ecuador; and Acting High Commissioner to Canada.