Cherie Blair has come out from the shadow of husband Tony to push issues she has always felt passionate about.

DURING HER DECADE at 10 Downing Street as wife of the British prime minister – and suffering though liberal doses of criticism from the UK press – Cherie Blair kept cool and kept quiet. She says that most of the controversy about her in the British media was due to her pioneering role as the first wife of a British Prime Minister who had her own career, with the media simply not knowing how to treat her fairly and objectively.

“I didn’t give any interviews to the press [because I was worried] about whether or not they would be regarded as either government policy or breach of government policy,” she says.

But Blair is no longer keeping quiet. In 2008, her not-quite-tell-all book Speaking for Myself: The Autobiography of Cherie Blair, made the Sunday Times bestseller list, and besides her work as a barrister, Blair now spends much of her time promoting her Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which works to empower women in developing countries. “I had a terrific experience in my 10 years in Downing Street and I learned a lot about the world – as a glorified tourist. I learned a lot but I didn’t do anything about it,” she says. “Now I’m able to speak more about the things that I care about.” power’s Phil Macdonald and Tiffany Tang caught up with Blair recently in Hong Kong, which she was visiting in her role as patron for the Asian University for Women.

Let’s talk about the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.
Women have always been a passion of mine. I was brought up by two strong women, my mom and my grandma, neither of whom had the opportunities I had because they both left school at 14.

My mom ended up having to work in a fish and chip shop because my dad abandoned her and she had to look after her two children. She got out of the fish and chip shop and got into the travel business. So I’ve always been very keen on empowering women. 

Is the foundation just in the UK or is it worldwide?
No, it’s more about women in the developing world. I am so lucky in where I was born, in the UK, at the time I was born, late 20th century, and the opportunities that I’ve had. I think two things make the difference for women: one is education, and that’s my interest in the Asian University for Women. The other is economic empowerment. It’s not enough to educate a woman. You also have to enable the woman to use her education to gain financial independence.

That would go hand in hand to a certain extent, wouldn’t it? Education and economic empowerment?
But they don’t necessarily. You still have highly educated women who, in the end, are regarded as the property of their fathers, the property of their husbands, and in the end when they become widows, a burden on their children. 

What are the practical applications of this foundation?
What I’m really interested in is having expanded opportunities for women. There’s a lot of talk about microfinance, which is a fantastic thing, and what that does is put bread on people’s table and it enables women to support their families. What it doesn’t do is challenge or change the structures of society because it’s still basically based on women in the home. If you want to drive the development of women and the development of economies, you have to look at the smaller medium-size enterprises, women who don’t just employ themselves and their families, but who employ other people’s families and who can actually start making a difference. I want to set up some business centers where we provide practical business training.

Whereabouts?
In November 2007, I went to Palestine and spoke at an inaugural meeting of a group there, which is a Palestinian business women’s forum and spoke to them about empowering women, and they were very keen to set up a center. I promised I would help them. We’re fundraising for a center in Ramallah, at which we provide training opportunities, possibly even some incubating of women’s businesses. I’ve just been to Kenya, I’ve seen a program run by the IFC [the International Finance Corporation], which isn’t actually just targeting women, it’s targeting women and men, but again it’s a small business center.

They provide the finance as well?
The IFC provides finance, but at the moment what I am looking at is partnering with organizations and providing training modules, and also networking and mentoring. I’ve discovered across the world there are lots of successful women who would like to help other women. And so it’s a question of if we set up the business centers with computer access, then we can use these computers not only to deliver e-learning, but also webcasting, mobility for women to have a virtual meeting with experts.

You mention Palestine, but are there any other places you have in mind?
I am interested in doing something in Africa, hence my visit to Kenya. I’m just seeing what the IFC is doing there. They have a program called GEM, which is gender, entrepreneurship and markets. And I launched that scheme in Uganda and Tanzania where they are actually offering finance through local banks to women entrepreneurs. I saw how you can enable women to help themselves and they basically will do the rest. Over here, the Asian University for Women is granting Cherie Blair Fellowships to select promising young women leaders. They will be supported through the course, but I also want to do some specific work with them myself.

How will they be selected?
Well, actually the Asian University of Women will do that, because everyone they recruit … the women who are selected, they all have to write an essay about where they come from. [She starts reading from the AUW brochure “Profiles of Courage: Six Women, One Journey,” on the profiles of the women selected to the program.] This girl, she is from Pakistan: “After getting education I can help with my six siblings. I can support them to study at institutions, so they can do something for others; in this way, we can do something.” She’s 20. Here’s another one, this is a girl from Bangladesh: “Women are always neglected, if they’re educated or not … I think if a girl has a good career like a boy, then a boy can never torture her. Boys can get an opportunity to study, but girls can’t – they get married. Boys criticize girls easily. I think if I can show something for girls, then I think they will realize women can be like a boy.”

Do you have much time for other things?
Yes, I am still practicing [as a barrister]. I am actually going to be admitted into the New York Bar, as least I hope, I have applied for it.

What area of law are you practicing?
Increasingly I am doing more international arbitration and mediation.

That’s something you didn’t do when in Downing Street.
No, that’s where I did my training, but obviously we didn’t highlight it. I still do human rights work, and I’m still very busy with my employment discrimination practice. These are all my legal things. I was called to the Bar in 1976, that’s 33 years ago, and I’m not giving that up very easily.

When I was in Downing Street, I didn’t give any interviews to the press, though I would speak about issues, but now I’m able to speak more about the things that I care about, without worrying about whether or not that would be regarded as either government policy or breach of government policy.

I heard the reason that you were reluctant to give interviews during your time in Downing Street was because you thought if you spoke to one news outlet you had to speak to all.
That’s right. And also because it wasn’t about me, and it’s really important that … the person who is important in Downing Street is the prime minister and therefore it’s important that his message gets out, not my message.

The Daily Telegraph has written about your you and your husband’s speaker circuit careers. They referred to you as “Blair Inc.” They made estimates, and predictions, on how much money you are earning.
[Laughs] Did they, how nice of them … To be honest I don’t actually read the Telegraph.

It said you made £18 million since leaving Downing Street, and …
Me?

The two of you together. And they predicted you would make it to £80 million pounds …
Oh brilliant, but it’s all rubbish, and I don’t think it really matters how much you make, it’s what you do with your money. My husband has put a lot of time and effort into his Faith Foundation. He has his sports foundation in the northeast, which is specifically designed to promote sport in the area that he was brought up and where he was MP. And you know I am very keen on my women’s foundation.

That’s why I am funding some fellowships here [in Asia] because I’d like to do a bit more hands-on mentoring of some of these girls. It’s the personal touch that makes the difference.

Have you been to the university?
The campus is not yet built, but it has started a temporary foundation. One of the advantages about Bangladesh is that a little money goes a long way.

You’re still devoted in the Labour Party?
Absolutely. I am very proud. I was a member when I was 16, I’m still a member, and my children are all members, apart from Leo, but only because he’s too young. I shall be going back campaigning for the elections … I like elections.