Baroness Joyce Anelay
Chair, June 2022
Biography
Baroness Anelay became Chair of UNA-UK in June 2022. She has held numerous roles in Government, Parliament, civil society and education.
Born in London, she began her career as a history teacher (1969-74), before joining the Citizens’ Advice Bureau (1976-2010). She was made Dame Commander (DBE) in 1995, before being made a Life Peer in 1996 — marking the start of a prolific parliamentary career, which has included stints on the Joint Committee on Security and Procedure and Privileges Committee, as well as serving as a Deputy Speaker (Lords).
Between 1997 and 2010 she held various Conservative front bench posts, including Shadow Minister for Culture, Sport and Media and Opposition Chief Whip. In May 2010 she was appointed Government Chief Whip before taking over as Minister of State in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 2014 and attending Cabinet. She succeeded William Hague as the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Preventing Violence in Conflict Initiative. She also served as Minister of State for International Development. Her Ministerial portfolio included the UN and she worked closely with UNA-UK on key initiatives - such as the 1 for 7 Billion campaign, combating sexual violence in conflict, UK engagement in UN peacekeeping, and visits to the UK by Secretaries-General Ban Ki-moon and António Guterres.
She currently chairs the International Relations and Defence Committee. Her work has covered a number of UNA-UK priorities, including the 2021 Integrated Review, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, COP26, human rights, and Afghanistan.
Other members of the UNA-UK Board of Directors:
Dorothea Christiana – Elected Trustee
Tim Jarman – Elected Trustee
Oluwatobi Aigbogun
Nimisha Agarwal
Frances Chambers
Dali Lalit Ten Hove
Shamima Yasmine
Angie Pankhania – Company Secretary & UNA-UK Chief Operating Officer
Members of the Conference Committee are:
Chair – Arash Nassouri
Vice-Chair – Hana Shono
Committee Members – Ravi Kumar, Alex Bell, Viv Williams