The creators of Star Trek dared to imagine a future in which gender and race were non-issues – a future in which anyone could take their place on the bridge and reach (for) the stars. That future is within our grasp, but in international arbitration the path to gender equality is one with many steps. This article, based on the author’s Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)’s 2021 International Women’s Day lecture of the same name, reflects on some of the hard-won victories achieved by the pioneers of gender diversity in international arbitration and explores where the remaining challenges lie as we head towards our final frontier – true gender equality. How can the next generation of arbitration leaders and the generations that follow, the ‘children’ of the gender diversity revolution, make sure that hard-won progress is not lost and keep us moving boldly forward?
This article is based on the lecture of the same name delivered by the author at the CIArb’s International Women’s Day Event on 8 March 2021.
Arbitration: The International Journal of Arbitration, Mediation and Dispute Management