Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, PC, KC, is a distinguished British diplomat, barrister, and politician who currently serves as the sixth Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. Elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, she assumed office on 1 April 2016.
Born in the Commonwealth of Dominica, Baroness Scotland is the tenth of twelve children and was raised in London. She earned her LLB (Hons) from London University at the age of twenty and was called to the Bar at Middle Temple at twenty-one.
Throughout her career, Baroness Scotland has achieved several significant milestones. She notably became the first woman in the more than 700-year history of the office to serve as Her Majesty’s Attorney-General for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
In this role and others, she championed issues such as gender equality, domestic violence, forced marriage, and international child abduction, advocating for diversity and equal opportunities, especially for women and girls.
As the first woman appointed Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Scotland places special emphasis on rallying the 56 member nations to address climate change, particularly its impact on women, and enhancing the resilience of smaller or more vulnerable countries through women’s enterprise. Eliminating domestic violence and violence against women and girls is another key priority for her.
Baroness Scotland joined the House of Lords in 1997 as Baroness Scotland of Asthal and has held positions in the Foreign Office, Home Office, and Lord Chancellor’s Department.
She represented Dominica at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2015 and is known for leading significant reforms in the British criminal justice system, including the introduction of the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act. Appointed Attorney-General in 2007, she was the first woman to hold this office since its inception.
In addition to her governmental roles, Baroness Scotland is a patron of several charities, including the Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence and Children and Families Across Borders.
Congratulations are in order!!
