Main Achievements as Chairman of the CWO

Reception with David Cameron to help raise funds

During the past year, Fiona has:

Spoken up to ensure that the views of the voluntary party are properly heard
Formed a group of volunteers to work on reinvigorating the Conservative Policy Forum with a view to giving the voluntary party a more effective organisation in which to discuss the political issues of the day and to ensure improved two-way dialogue and communication
Been the Board liaison with Eastern, London and North-East Regions
Worked with Conservative Future
Identified and encouraged Parliamentary Candidates
Campaigned in the European and parliamentary by-election campaigns
Been a diligent and hard working member of the voluntary Party team on the Board to help identify issues that need tackling and to try to find satisfactory solutions

As Chairman of the Conservative Women's Organisation, she:

Strengthened the CWO team and linked them into various other parts of the parties
Built up the annual Women's Conference from 200 in 2005 to around 740 in 2007 selling out the big hall at the QEII
Connected with a much wider audience of women than previously. The Conservative Women's Forum was founded which took forward David Cameron's mantra of 'reaching out' by connecting with wider range of women through holding events on issues
Connected with a wide range of organisations through Summits and Conferences
Set up and continues to help run the Conservative Women's Organisation Muslim Group
This group consists of Muslims and non-Muslims and its purpose is to build dialogue and understanding
They have run a number of successful events on Honour Killing, Forced Marriage, the Future of Pakistan, the Challenge of Extremism
Tackled 'edgier' issues that had previously been considered Labour Party territory
In particular highlighted and ran events on issues on the Violence against Women agenda – i.e. stalking, sexual violence and prostitution and international women's human rights
Worked more closely with MPs by giving them a platform
Helped candidates
Set up an interactive website

Fiona with the CWO delegation in Brussels

International

Was a member of a delegation visiting Bosnia in 2009 to investigate the situation there for women in the aftermath of the Balkan conflict. In particular visited Srebrenica and met widows left as a result of the massacre
In June 2009 At the invitation of the Tunisian Ambassador led a delegation to women Members of Parliament and members of their leading women's organisation
In December 2009 launched a publication “The Female Face of Afghanistan” at an event organised by the Conservative Human Rights Commission, which highlighted the situation for women in Afghanistan and offered some recommendations of future action to help
In January 2010 visited Egypt with a British NGO to examine their projects with women and children in the Cairo slums
Initiated a party going to Washington in 2006 to research how the Republican Party won the women's vote
Took a party to Brussels to visit the European Parliament in 2007
In 2008 and 2009, attended the UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York
Took part in the Conservative Party Social Action Project in Rwanda doing a project on gender and empowering women in both 2006 and 2007

Attending Economic Symposium in Tunisia, Nov 2009	Meeting ladies visting London from the Congo

Fiona meeting UN Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro	Fiona Hodgson at the UN CSW Meeting