‘Oh but you’re female’: the Australian woman who drills the rules of war into the world’s militaries

Kath Stewart, the Red Cross's first female armed forces delegate, is sometimes mistaken for a secretary

In her dealings with armed forces and militant groups trying to persuade them to respect the laws of war, Kath Stewart has had her fair share of awkward experiences.

The Australian, who became the first woman to serve as a military and armed groups delegate with the International Committee of the Red Cross, says sometimes people mistake her for a secretary or a support person.