We were privileged to co-host a panel with our friends from Business Declares at the Blue Earth Summit last month.
This explored ‘Female Leadership as the Pathway to Global Resilience’, with guest speakers Runa Khan, Founder of Friendship SPO; Abeer Abu Ghaith, Founder of MENA Alliance; and Evie Harman, Ambassador with The Girls Network.
The discussion covered a raft of topics, including how our panelists had got to where they are today and their messages to the audience to ensure ‘women become ever more central to leadership’.
We’re at the limits of an expired narrative based on extraction, colonisation, limitless growth on a finite planet, and patriarchy … we need a new story, with a core component of female leadership
Ben Tolhurst
Director, Business Declares
This truly was impact in action, and their stories of hope, humanity and transformative change were simply inspirational.
Read on to discover our key takeaways from this incredible session.
Key takeaways
We need everyone, men and women, to have a deep respect for each other, with humility and compassion on both sides. Without respect it is impossible to synergise any action. We must do it together.
Runa Khan
Friendship
Stop waiting to be ready because you already are. The system was not built to make you feel confident; it was built to make you doubt yourself. So, if you are waiting for permission, or that perfect moment, you will wait forever.
Abeer Abu Ghaith
MENA Alliances
We need to keep building systems of care, compassion and empathy, and that comes from a really intersectional lens. Every single act of kindness is bringing impact. Keep doing that because the government won’t do it for you.
Evie Harman
Learn more about the speakers
Runa Khan
Friendship
Runa Khan works with some of the planet’s most climate vulnerable communities on shifting river islands (chars) in Bangladesh, where cyclones and floods can destroy homes 40 times in a lifetime. Each time these people migrate, they’re left poorer and evermore marginalised.
Friendship innovated the world’s first NGO floating ship hospitals. Millions of people access its health and disaster relief programmes, and tens of thousands have benefitted from its sustainable development, education, citizen rights, desalination, and climate adaptation work.
Runa has won global recognition (most recently as winner of the prestigious 2025 Earthshot Prize) for her pioneering development and inclusive citizenship work. Visit the Friendship website to find out more about her incredible work.
Abeer Abu Ghaith
MENA Alliances
Abeer AbuGhaith was raised in a refugee camp and shaped by conflict, Abeer is revolutionising the MENA IT/social tech job market using remote solutions that transcend physical, political, and cultural barriers. She started her own business without capital, just a laptop, internet connection, purpose and trust. She now links talent with firms in Silicon Valley, Western Europe, and the Gulf.
Despite challenging business cycles and the disruption of conflicts, Abeer has created over 700 digital opportunities for underprivileged and underemployed people, with 70 clients worldwide.
Abeer was Palestine’s first high-tech entrepreneur. Find out how she is breaking through borders to change the world in her own way on her website and the MENA Alliances website.
Evie Harman
Evie Harman grew up neurodivergent, and anxiety prevented her attending school. Teachers recommended professional female mentoring at The Girls Network, which built confidence and inspired her to build new experiences including gaining a First-Class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation.
In turn, Evie became a mentor, and then helped the Network set up its Ambassador programme. Her current focus is supporting feminist, youth-led spaces and making community a genuinely participatory and democratic experience across all ages.
Evie’s zines and workshops promote wellbeing, accessibility, and collective empowerment – About Evie summary, ‘My Period, My Voice’ arts showcase example, and LI profile. Find out more about the The Girls Network and how they support girls to build self-belief through mentoring, workshops and events.
