Women's Voices: How To Speak Up in 2026

Date: Tuesday 20th January

Time and place 1pm-2pm, Zoom 

This event has now taken place.

Watch the recording below.

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As we start a new year, The Fawcett Society is delighted to welcome Kajal Odedra, author, activist and Vice President of Communications at Change.org, for a powerful and timely talk on how women can make their voices heard in 2026.

Now based in New York, and previously UK-based for many years, Kajal brings a rare transatlantic perspective on campaigning in a rapidly changing political landscape. She has spearheaded high-profile UK and US campaigns, including Laura Coryton’s successful fight against the tampon tax and working alongside Richard Ratcliffe to secure the release of his wife, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, from unjust imprisonment in Iran. Kajal has been at the forefront of some of the UK’s most impactful grassroots movements, combining strategic communications with people-powered organising to win change.

Recognising the urgent need for greater diversity and representation in the campaigns sector, Kajal founded the People of Colour in Campaigns network, advocating for inclusion and equity across movements. She is a trustee of Save the Children UK and Ada’s List, and a visiting fellow at Oxford University, continuing to champion causes close to her heart across activism, politics and social justice.

Kajal is also the author of two widely acclaimed books: Do Something: Activism for Everyone, a practical guide to grassroots activism that empowers people to create change in their own communities, and Hair/Power: Essays on Control and Freedom, which explores the politics of hair, gender and identity.

In this talk, Women’s Voices: How To Speak Up in 2026, Kajal will share insights from her campaigning experience in both the UK and the US, reflecting on the challenges posed by an increasingly hostile political environment in both countries. She believes women’s voices must be at the forefront of the fight back, and that the far-right’s appropriation of women’s safety narratives must be confronted head-on.

Kajal will speak about her activism, share concrete tips and lessons learned, and there will be plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.