Accelerating action: leading the change

What bold actions are needed to realise true gender equity?

This International Women’s Day, the RSA invites you to a powerful event focused on advancing women’s leadership and action for systemic change. Featuring an incredible panel of women including I. Stephanie Boyce, the trailblazing first Black and first person of colour President of the Law Society of England and Wales, journalist Sophia Smith Galer, and Women in Sport policy and public affairs manager Rachel Williams, we’ll explore the transformative power of women’s leadership in addressing society’s most urgent challenges.

Grounded in the RSA’s mission to unite people and ideas to create social change, this event will delve into how we can drive progress across education, work, and institutions to create more inclusive and equitable systems.

Together, we’ll discuss actionable solutions for accelerating progress—from empowering women in underrepresented fields to redefining leadership and building networks that amplify impact. Celebrating women’s resilience and achievements, the event offers a bold vision for the future and a renewed commitment to gender equity.

Chair

• Jennifer Johnston, mezzo-soprano and creative consultant

Speakers

• Sophia Smith Galer, author and journalist 
• I. Stephanie Boyce, former president of the Law Society of England and Wales
• Rachel Williams, policy and public affairs manager at Women in Sport