Graduates of the FEM leadership programme visited the UK Supreme Court and trained at SteelRose Legal from 26 to 29 October. It will be their first trip to London.
In June, two girls stood up in front of a panel of judges and argued their case. This October, that argument took them to London.
Two graduates of the FEM Leadership Camp, run by the Cyprus-based Kateryna Biloruska Foundation (KBF), won the debate competition organised by KBF’s partner SteelRose Ltd. The prize is the “Girls in Law” programme: four days in London, from 26 to 29 October 2026, hosted by the SteelRose Legal team. For both girls it is their first visit to the city.
The winners, Valeria and Kate, were among the roughly 48 participants from more than 10 countries who came to Limassol for the FEM Leadership Camp on 17–22 June 2026.
Four days, one goal: seeing what a legal career looks like from the inside
The programme is designed so that the girls spend time with the people and places behind the profession, not only hear about them.
Four days, one goal: seeing a legal career from the inside
- Day 1. Welcome to London. The girls met the SteelRose Legal team, toured the office and were introduced to the legal profession. They discussed careers in law, confidence and ambition, and put their questions to the lawyers.
- Day 2. A day at the Supreme Court. The girls visited the UK Supreme Court in Parliament Square and learnt how it works and how courtroom procedure runs. In the afternoon, they returned to SteelRose Legal for mentoring on education, careers and future plans.
- Day 3. Learning by doing. The girls took part in interactive legal exercises and group research and presentation tasks at SteelRose Legal. They walked through London’s legal district and finished the day with an open-top bus tour past Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
- Day 4. “Dream Big, Shine Bright!” The girls completed final legal exercises, gave short presentations on what they had learnt, had another round of career mentoring and wrote a letter to their future selves. The programme closed with a farewell lunch, certificates of completion and group photos.
What is FEM, and why does a debate win matter
FEM is KBF’s programme for girls. Its mission is to empower girls to find their voice, build leadership skills and turn ideas into action that makes a difference in their communities.
The programme has several parts:
- the FEM online programme, with 900+ active participants across 12 countries and 8 mentors;
- FEM camps in Cyprus, where girls from different countries live and learn together;
- a community of participants and alumni;
- lectures;
- a Mentor Buddy track;
- an Ambassador track for girls who want to lead.
Public speaking and arguing a position are part of that approach. FEM’s values include “use our voice to create positive change” and “take initiative instead of waiting for permission”. A debate win that turns into a trip to one of the world’s great legal centres is a direct example of those values at work.
The partnership behind the prize
SteelRose Ltd is one of the partners that supported FEM Camp 2026. Partnerships of this kind give girls access to places and professionals they would not otherwise meet.Kateryna Biloruska, founder of the Kateryna Biloruska Foundation, said:
“When we say FEM is about turning ideas into action, this is exactly what we mean. Two girls found their voice, argued their case, and earned a place in a room most of them have only seen in films. None of this would be possible without a partner who believes in girls as much as we do. SteelRose Ltd did not just offer a prize. They opened their doors, their time and their expertise. For us this is what partnership should look like: real people giving real access. I am proud of our girls, and grateful to everyone in London who welcomed them.”
Founder and Partner at SteelRose Legal Ltd. Zu Tohtayeva said: ‘I know how far London can feel from home. Nobody handed me a map into this profession – I found my way one door at a time.
‘‘These girls have faced war, displacement and borders that will not open, yet they continue to find a way forward. Every one of us at SteelRose has come to this country from somewhere else. We know first-hand what it means to build a life and a career in a new country, and how much difference one open door can make. Now it is our turn to hold that door open for the next generation.’
Why it matters beyond one trip
Opportunities like this are rarely handed to girls from outside the major education and career hubs. A week at a law firm and in the UK Supreme Court gives them something that is hard to get from a textbook: the experience of standing in the room and asking questions. KBF hopes the trip will encourage the winners and the rest of the FEM community to aim higher.
