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Last updated at 17:04 (UK time) 11 Feb 2011

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Women in Diplomacy

Women have been employed in the Foreign Office since its creation in 1782, but it was not until 1946 that women were given the opportunity to be employed as diplomats.

Since then, in spite of this post-war breakthrough, women still remain an under-represented component of the FCO's work force. This second edition of Women in Diplomacy gives an updated background to some of the reasons for this as it follows the progressive opening of doors to women in the FCO from the early days to the present. The cartoon 'FOILED' is reproduced by permission of Punch Ltd. The cartoon was inspired by a White Paper issued on 28th April 1936.

The paper stated that 'His Majesty's Government is 'convinced that the time has not yet arrived when women could be employed in the Consular Service or in the Diplomatic Service with advantage to the State or with profit to women.''

Women in Diplomacy [PDF, 124kb]