Margaret Adamson

“By empowering women, the world can be changed for the better”

In an exclusive interview with You! Australian High Commissioner, Margaret Adamson talks about women empowerment and cultural ties between Pakistan and Australia...

Ms Adamson is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia, having served previously as Ambassador to Poland and Ambassador to Cambodia. Most recently, she was Deputy High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea. In Canberra, Ms Adamson’s appointments have included head of Public Diplomacy Branch, European Union and Western Europe Branch, and Pacific Islands Branch. She was appointed as ambassador to Pakistan in June 2015. Since Ms. Adamson has assumed office in Islamabad, she has been instrumental in strengthening relations between Pakistan and Australia. In an exclusive interview with You! Ms Adamson talks about women empowerment and cultural ties between Australia and Pakistan...

You! What made you interested in joining the Foreign Service?

Margaret Adamson: My interest in the Foreign Service was sparked during my studies at the Australian National University in Canberra, which brought me into contact with the international issues of the day, and Australia’s regional, global and multilateral diplomacy. I was intent on public service, and considered working in the Foreign Service would enable me to contribute to Australia’s national interests as well as to enjoy a rewarding career.

You! What skills are prerequisite for this field?

M.A: Work in the Foreign Service involves interaction with foreign officials, international organisations, academia, business representatives, civil society, media and the public. We rely on good communication to ensure our messages are clearly understood, to advocate national policy and to forge cooperation. We all need strong negotiation skills to arrive at solutions and resolve differences. It goes without saying that we must be able to communicate across cultures and to understand different perspectives.

You! Do women as diplomats make a difference?

M.A: Gender equality is a central element of Australian Foreign Policy and the Australian Foreign Service seeks to reflect through its personnel Australia’s diverse society as well as to demonstrate its commitment to gender equality. The Australian Government’s Women in Leadership Strategy, announced in 2014, is ensuring all public servants have the opportunity to reach their full potential, including in the Foreign Service. Australia is also committed to orienting its development assistance programs towards equality for women. We have done so in the conviction that by empowering women, the world can be changed for the better.

You! What is it like to be a diplomat or an ambassador representing your country?

M.A: It is a privilege to serve one’s nation at any point of a foreign service career, and the role of Ambassador brings particular responsibilities as the overall representative. Our work varies widely, from bilateral or international negotiations advocating Australian policies and positions, advancing our development cooperation partnerships, engaging with survivors of humanitarian disasters, to promoting Australian exports and investment. I have been privileged to have witnessed many of recent history’s critical moments including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the revival of democracy in Poland and Czech Republic, and the commencement of the international trials of the surviving leaders of the Pol Pot genocidal regime in Cambodia.

You! How do you see relations between Pakistan and Australia?

M.A: Australia was swift to recognise Pakistan as an independent and sovereign state and opened its first High Commission in Karachi in 1948. Our countries enjoy open and friendly, mutually respectful relations, based on our shared Commonwealth heritage and, of course, our common passion for cricket! The Pakistani diaspora living in Australia makes a strong contribution to Australia’s multicultural society. We welcome a large body of more than 12,000 Pakistani students enrolled in Australian universities and have active network of alumni, many of whom are working in positions of influence across Pakistan. Our scholarship program has been sending Pakistani scholars to Australia since the 1950’s. Australia supports the people of Pakistan through our broader development assistance partnership, prioritising inclusive, sustainable economic growth, national stability and gender equity. There is continuing growth at the people-to-people, cultural and trade levels. The value of two-way trade in goods and services is approaching $A2 billion.

You! As an ambassador, what are your goals during your tenure? How do you go about improving relations between Australia and our country?

M.A: I am focused on building upon the shared interests of our two governments, our bilateral links and cooperation. These are wide-ranging and include promoting regional peace, stability and economic prosperity, combating terrorism and extremism, fostering commerce and supporting Pakistan to address development challenges in education, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture and water management. Our two countries have been elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2018-2020 term and I look forward to working with Pakistan in support of human rights globally during our Council term and beyond.

You! What’s the most challenging part of your job?

M.A: Achieving balance between professional demands and the needs of family, and staying in touch with family and friends when scattered across the world!

You! What are some of the perks of being a diplomat?

M.A: Accompanying the responsibilities of the role, representing one’s nation abroad is a source of pride for any diplomat. It also provides great variety of work in terms of tasks and location, with an opportunity to meet new people, learn their languages and experience different cultures.

You! What may be the low points of being a diplomat?

M.A: It is challenging to pack up and move every few years, and it can be a struggle to make everything work seamlessly for all family members or partners, whether accompanying or those remaining elsewhere. Happily, technology makes staying in touch today much easier than in the past!

You! How do diplomats behave if they get annoyed with a person during negotiations? Is it possible for diplomats to show their feelings or is there some technique they use to switch emotions?

M.A: To me, the most crucial aspect of diplomacy and the negotiation process is listening. Bearing in mind that France was long regarded as the leading practitioner of diplomacy, I note the words of French diplomat Francois de Callieres, that ‘One of the most necessary qualities in a good negotiator is to be an apt listener.’ The ability to negotiate successful outcomes that win agreement from all sides also depends on such things as empathy, and the motivation to secure positive results.

You! What are your views on women empowerment?

M.A: Women make up 50 per cent of the world’s population. Without their contribution, there can be no hope for sustainable economic development at the domestic, national or global level. Women’s contribution is vital not just in terms of the work force, but also in innovation, as women are by no means less innovative than men, as a glance at the Nobel Prize website or investigation of women’s involvement in the creative arts quickly demonstrates. But women’s empowerment is also about fairness and equality for all human beings: it is a matter of human rights and the successful functioning of our societies in terms of leadership and the rule of law.

You! Do you think women in power are the best ones to promote women’s rights?

M.A: Women in power can play a significant role in advocating for women’s empowerment and demonstrating their success and contributions to outcomes historically expected of men. But we also need men to step up beside women in building a gender-equal world, especially given the fact that men continue to hold most of the levers of power and influence in our societies. In Australia there is a movement, Male Champions of Change, bringing together company CEOs and other men in key roles, such as the Head of Army and Chief Police Commissioner. I believe men and women at all levels can use their individual and collective leadership to elevate gender equality as an issue of national and international social and economic importance. Men as well as women also need to stand up for an end to gender-based violence which persists in all of our countries. Australia has invested $A8.65 million in Pakistan to support Pakistan’s efforts to combat gender-based violence including through implementation of policy and legislation and by promoting safe cities.

You! What inspires you the most about Pakistani women?

M.A: Pakistan has some great examples of women leaders who inspire not just Australia but the world. From former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, to Malala Yousafzai who fights for the education of girls everywhere, courageous mountain climber Samina Baig and UN Women Ambassador and artist Muniba Mazari, to filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who brought home two Oscars and six Emmy awards. Pakistan also has its first woman Foreign Secretary, Tehmina Janjua.

You! What do you like about Pakistani culture and cuisine?

M.A: Pakistan is a wonderful country, inhabited by extremely hospitable and generous people. I admire the richness and diversity of Pakistani culture, which stems from South Asia’s remarkable history.

Pakistani cuisine is rich in tradition, with some diverse as well as delicious dishes. The famous haleem or ‘king of curry,’ your basmati rice used in your biryani, daal with roti, the wonderful parathas as well as Pakistani sweets like halva and kheer are delicious. You have wonderful fresh fruits in season, crowned by the dizzying numbers of mango, as well as fabulous pomegranates, apricots and nuts.

You! What’s the place in our country that you think is the most scenic?

M.A: Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral quickly spring to mind, as well as the famous Silk Road capital of Lahore and the rich legacy of other ancient sites and fragile natural heritage and biodiversity for which Pakistan is the custodian on behalf of the global community. Apart from the monuments and landmarks in Lahore and Karachi, I have appreciated visiting Mohenjo-daro, Katas Raj Temple, Multan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar, Taxila, Rohtas Fort.

You! How do you keep a balance between your family and professional life?

M.A: As I noted above, this has been my own biggest challenge! Being in the Foreign Service isn’t just about work-life balance. It’s all about work-life synergy because your job as a diplomat doesn’t end after 6 pm or stop during the weekends and holidays. When you become a diplomat, you are a diplomat 24/7. It is a lifestyle, and if one has a partner and children, there are lifestyle impacts for them also.

You! What does a typical day look like for you?

M.A: I rise early, often take a walk before breakfast and reading newspapers and emails, and then to the office or straight to meetings outside with Pakistani government officials, business leaders, officials from other countries, and Pakistanis from all sectors and places. Some days are rapid-fire meetings, one after another. Other days something entirely unexpected happens that upends my schedule from the first moment. Many times my husband and I host salon-style dinners at the Official Residence, bringing together diverse groups of Pakistanis and Australians to discuss shared interests.

You! How do you unwind?

M.A: I love music, to hear as well as to play and sing. I sing in choirs at home and abroad and always travel with my piano. Playing a musical instrument or singing requires total focus, otherwise you will make a mess of it! So it is the ultimate brain reset. I also love reading books on politics, art and history. Walking in the Margallas is also a great unwind pleasure, reminding me of the hills around Canberra.

You! Any message you would like to share with our readers...

M.A: Pakistan is a rapidly transforming country. Its growing middle class and huge young population - which in my opinion is the country’s greatest asset - offer promising potential for the nation’s successful, inclusive and sustainable economic and social development. In this important year of national elections, and the historic decision to bring FATA into the mainstream of the nation, my message to readers is to tap into this diverse potential and to own the nation’s future; engage in the search for inclusive, fair and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing the country and the region, from climate change to domestic and regional peace, prosperity and harmony.