A spotlight on women

A belated tribute

International Women’s Day (8th March) is a specific day dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide, an annual event to honour the achievements of women across all aspects of life - social, economic, cultural, and political - whilst also advocating for gender equality. According to the World Economic Forum, parity will not be achieved until 2158; that’s five generations!

And I missed it. I was full of great plans for a post but travel pulled me away from the calendar and computer, and by the time I resurfaced, the day had long passed. But the stories and images I’ve gathered over the years—of women whose lives and strength have left deep impressions on me—are not bound to a single date and nor should they be.

So this post is a small act of catching up, of remembering, and of honouring.

As I looked through my archive, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have travelled to some of the, perhaps, less-travelled locations and how, without fail, I have been welcomed by the women I have met along the way.

Each image is a story.

A mother. A shepherd. A weaver. A student. A grandmother. A business owner. A fighter. A dreamer.

Our encounters were often brief, and conversation didn’t always flow easily—or at all. But again and again, I was reminded that connection doesn’t need many words. A smile, a pantomime of sign language, a shared laugh, a mutual curiosity, the act of standing together in silence—these small moments built bridges that transcended language. Sometimes, it was just the mutual recognition of presence, of being seen.

Some invited me into their homes or daily life. Others offered only a glance, a gesture, a pause before life called them on. But each interaction, however fleeting, reminded me of the resilience, grace, and quiet power of women navigating worlds I was only passing through.

International Women’s Day may have come and gone, but these women—and millions like them—move through every day with a strength that deserves more than a hashtag or a single moment in the spotlight.

So here is my tribute—belated but heartfelt. A very small selection of the faces that have stayed with me long after I left. I hope they speak to you as they have to me.

Gido and friends beneath one of the black scarves that the Arbore women are known for. Gido had just recovered from malaria when this was taken. (Ethiopia 2023)

The daily grind, literally and metaphorically. Each day, these women grind sorghum, a major part of their diet, using a saddle quern and stone rubber. After taking this image, the lady called me over and insisted I tried. To say she was unimpressed with my efforts is an understatement. The physical effort aside, it made me realise how skilful these women are as they feed a small amount of grain under the rubber without losing their rhythm. (South Sudan 2023)

Aisha is a sassy 38 year old who owns and runs a fish smokehouse in The Gambia. She was initially in business with her mother who had died 7 years previously. She has a 21 year old daughter and a grandchild. (The Gambia 2024)

This is Gulbarhan, a feisty 83 year old when I took this back in 2016. A Mongolian Kazakh with a gloriously expressive face, she was the mother of 9 and a grandmother of 20 (she thought!). We had a conversation about spinning and creaky knees before I was shooed out of the ger so she could take a nap. (Mongolia 2016)

Rosa spent much of the day sitting on her bench knitting socks and watching the comings and goings on the main street of Viscri, Transylvania. She was highly amused, but graciously agreed, when I asked if I could photograph her. (Romania 2019)

Two beautiful Roma sisters, Eva and Marika, the daughters of a coppersmith in Transylvania. (Romania 2019)

This is a short video I made last year that shows more of the women I’ve met over the years (it was made for Instagram stories hence the layout).