2002: Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland, led the way to pass a resolution calling for equal representation of women in treaty negotiations. At a strategy meeting, I sat behind the government delegate from Bangladesh who supported the idea. How does a feminist advocate for women’s freedoms behave in a country that says women must cover up their legs in public? Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, put on a light scarf at the opening ceremonies to abide by local traditions. The next day, I changed from shorts to long pants. Sometimes my anthropological instincts kick in, and I conform to local customs.