Membership Directory - Individual
Kirsten Whitworth
Co-Chair LGBTQ+ at Sky / Senior Legal Counsel at Sky
About
Bio: Kirsten Whitworth is a public law specialist and trained translator who is a Senior Legal Counsel in the Consumer Regulatory team at Sky. As a member of the Sky Legal Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Kirsten has headed up the Sky Legal LGBTQ+ Working Group for over three years. Since February 2025, she has been co-Chair of Sky’s LGBTQ+ employee network where she has spearheaded initiatives around LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion, including leading the network’s first participation in London Trans+ Pride and shaping internal responses to the UK Supreme Court’s ruling on trans rights.
Kirsten grew up under the last years of Apartheid South Africa. Against this background, and with a strong interest in crimes against humanity, she qualified specialising in constitutional and human rights law, and represented the National Union of Mineworkers at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana massacre, investigating the shooting by police of 34 striking miners.
Kirsten then led groundbreaking access to health care litigation at a renowned human rights centre in Johannesburg, where she was also appointed as legal consultant to the University of the Witwatersrand’s Human Research Ethics Committee (non-medical), coordinated the centre's activities as Chair of the Promotion of Access to Information Act Civil Society Network, and was a member of South African Human Rights Commission Section 5 Committee on Health. Thereafter she returned to private practice, working in administrative, regulatory and competition law with a focus on broadcasting, telecommunications and print media, representing Africa’s largest broadcaster and South Africa’s largest publishing house.
As an experienced public speaker, host, and facilitator with an authentic and direct manner, Kirsten creates open and safe spaces for robust discussion, and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. She is a powerful voice for inclusion, visibility, and equity. She is a passionate advocate for human rights and a society based on the values of human dignity, equality, and freedom, and describes herself as “a rabble rouser for change”.
Kirsten grew up under the last years of Apartheid South Africa. Against this background, and with a strong interest in crimes against humanity, she qualified specialising in constitutional and human rights law, and represented the National Union of Mineworkers at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the Marikana massacre, investigating the shooting by police of 34 striking miners.
Kirsten then led groundbreaking access to health care litigation at a renowned human rights centre in Johannesburg, where she was also appointed as legal consultant to the University of the Witwatersrand’s Human Research Ethics Committee (non-medical), coordinated the centre's activities as Chair of the Promotion of Access to Information Act Civil Society Network, and was a member of South African Human Rights Commission Section 5 Committee on Health. Thereafter she returned to private practice, working in administrative, regulatory and competition law with a focus on broadcasting, telecommunications and print media, representing Africa’s largest broadcaster and South Africa’s largest publishing house.
As an experienced public speaker, host, and facilitator with an authentic and direct manner, Kirsten creates open and safe spaces for robust discussion, and doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. She is a powerful voice for inclusion, visibility, and equity. She is a passionate advocate for human rights and a society based on the values of human dignity, equality, and freedom, and describes herself as “a rabble rouser for change”.
Project 1000, Woman of Impact 2025