Dr Helen Pankhurst, the women’s rights activist and great-granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst, has visited Tynwald where she was welcomed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Keys Chris Robertshaw MHK.
Dr Pankhurst was in the island at the invitation of the Friends of Sophia Goulden to offer support to the charity looking to raise funds to erect a statue in recognition of the inspirational role Sophia Goulden (nee Craine) the Manx-born campaigner and mother of Emmeline Pankhurst, played in the universal suffrage and the emancipation of women movement.
As a campaigner for change Dr Pankhurst said that she applauded Tynwald for becoming, in 1881, the first national parliament to give some women the right to vote in a general election. While acknowledging that advances had been achieved in women’s rights she said there was still much to be done to redress the ‘power dynamics’ imbalance between men and women.
She continued: ‘My message is that we’re all in this together. Everyone can benefit from gender equality; it’s all about creating a better society. I’m looking at women’s rights from the perspective of continuity and change, so let’s be enthused by the links to the past and erect statues to women such as Sophia and Emmeline but let’s also take inspiration from them to achieve more.
‘I think the idea of a statue to Sophia is a great idea, but it will be a challenge to capture both the frail and genteel nature of the woman as well as a sense of the committed activist she had to become to bring about change. It wasn’t in the nature of either Sophia or Emmeline to be strident but they were driven to it by the force of their convictions. Similarly, as an academic at heart, I’m happier with my books, but there’s still much to be done to carry on their work.’
She said her own ‘empathy and activism’ approach to campaigning was influenced by her ancestors’ legacy of ‘placards and passion’. She had also been able to identify with Emmeline and Sophia all the more after taking part in the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, joining other volunteers dressed as suffragettes. ‘That re-enactment was deeply affecting, as was having a cameo role in the film Suffragette.’
Raised in Ethiopia Dr Pankhurst now works with CARE International focusing on global women’s empowerment. She has also been involved with WaterAid, Womankind Worldwide and several other humanitarian movements. She concluded: ‘When you’re campaigning for change there can be regression, but I think now we have a real opportunity to go forward.’
Photo - Dr Helen Pankhurst with Chris Robertshaw MHK. Photo Paul Dougherty, Tynwald Seneschal.
