By Eddie Bisknell

LOIS Hainsworth MBE – a tireless campaigner for women’s rights and an acclaimed journalist – has died at the age of 89.

Family members said Lois passed away ‘as gently as a mist’ on Saturday, October 8, at the Scarlet House care home in Stroud.

Born on June 13, 1927, she lived a life full of outstanding endeavours, propelling women’s equality nationally and internationally, all with an air of elegance.

This acclaim led to her being awarded an MBE in 2004, due to her work for women’s rights.

Her daughter Zarin, who lives in Stroud, described her mother as being ‘like a queen’, adding that she always maintained a wicked sense of humour and feisty character.

As an advocate for women’s rights, Lois worked tirelessly for many organisations, such as the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the Women’s Advisory Council to the United Nations and the European Women’s Lobby.

She also made great strides in journalism, editing an array of magazines dedicated to women’s rights and was once president of the Royal Chartered Institute of Journalism.

Starting her life in Nottinghamshire, Lois once spoke of how scared she was during the blitz.

She left home at 16 and at 19, left for Vienna to study opera.

On her return to London, she joined the opera chorus in of Covent Garden opera, but had to get a part-time job.

During a job interview, she was asked if she was temperamental and was said to have replied: “Depends what you mean by temperamental? If you threw a bottle of ink at me, I would pick it up and throw it back.”

She got the job, which was PA to the director of Rank Films.

ThroughAlong this line of work, she met a follower of the Bahá’í faith, a way of life which encourages individual development and service to humanity. Soon after becoming a Bahá’í in 1956, she met her future husband Phillip, who at the time was working in Uganda.

After a week, they decided to get married and three weeks later, they kept that promise.

Philip worked to eradicate malaria, sleeping sickness and other waterborne diseases for the UK government in Uganda, and Lois helped with him with his work.

It was in Africa that Lois developed an interest in equality for women and girls.

She joined the International Council of Women (ICW) and was elected on to the executive board of its European arm.

She continued her voluntary work with the Bahá’í faith in the UK, working on a number of national committees and editing the national magazine.

In 1976, the couple moved to London and Lois joined the National Council of Women (NCW).

Lois helped to organised resolutions and conferences nationally and internationally.

She helped to develop the work of the Foreign Affairs Committee and edited the NCW national magazine. This led her to join the Royal Chartered Institute of Journalists, of which she became president.

Lois attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for more thanover three decades.

Through this work, she raised the awareness of the suffering of women and children encountered in trafficking and took a stand against pornography.

Fired by this passion, she successfully lobbied with Tony Colman MP to change the law surrounding trafficking of persons, to ensure a higher penalty for those found guilty.

Lois worked hard to develop the Women’s Advisory Council to the United Nations from 1982-2001, serving as treasurer, vice-chairman and chairman.

After attending the World Conference on Women in Copenhagen and then in Nairobi, Lois organised a charter plane to take women from across the UK to the Beijing conference in 1995.

After being elected to the European Women’s lobby in 1996, Lois developed strong friendships that remained until dementia reduced her memory in recent years.

She moved to Stroud to be closer to her family in 2006.

Lois Hainsworth – described as a ‘woman en of style and grace’ – is survived by her three children, Richard, Zarin, and Michael, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will takes place at 1pm this Friday, at More Hall Convent in Randwick.

  • Tributes can be left at stroud newsandjournal.co.uk