profiles 23 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ambassador Quispel's Message: Stay at the Table, Your Ideas Matter
As her tenure as the Netherlands' Ambassador to Uganda concludes, Frederieke Quispel shares powerful advice for young women, urging them to overcome self-doubt and actively participate in decision-making processes. Her own journey from uncertainty to a distinguished diplomatic career highlights the importance of preparation and courage. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/lifestyle/reviews-profiles/ambassador-frederieke-s-journey-from-self-doubt-to-diplomacy-5506410
Ambassador Frederieke Quispel, the outgoing Dutch envoy to Uganda, is concluding her term with a vital message for aspiring leaders, particularly young women. She has observed a persistent pattern in professional settings where women often take on supportive roles rather than engaging in key discussions. Quispel’s advice is clear: “Do not get the coffee, join the conversation. Stay at the table. Your ideas matter.”
Quispel emphasizes that confidence is not innate but cultivated through diligent preparation, gaining experience, and actively speaking up, even when self-doubt arises. “If you have prepared, if you have done the work and if you have something to contribute, then speak,” she asserts. “The world needs your ideas just as much as anyone else’s.”
Her own path to diplomacy was nearly derailed by self-doubt. As a teenager, a comment about the exclusivity of the diplomatic service led her to believe it wasn’t for her, a sentiment she notes many women still share. “I rejected myself before I had even tried,” she reflects.
This self-imposed limit was shattered during a university internship at the Dutch Embassy in Amman. Experiencing diplomacy firsthand erased her years of uncertainty. Despite her lingering doubts about her academic standing, she applied to the foreign service and was accepted, embarking on a career that has spanned over two decades across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Her first diplomatic posting in Rwanda was formative, deepening her understanding of East Africa. She recalls Kampala as a vibrant contrast to Kigali, often visiting Uganda for lively weekends. These experiences shaped her later work in Uganda, where she focused on gender equality and youth empowerment.
Quispel advocates for addressing inequalities that begin in childhood, such as the prioritization of boys over girls in resource-limited families, which disadvantages girls from the outset. She stresses that tackling issues like teenage pregnancy and lack of access to sanitary products requires societal involvement and open dialogue to ensure girls remain in school and fulfill their potential.
Ambassador Quispel will soon return to The Hague to lead the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department for Sub-Saharan Africa, carrying with her the lessons learned and the conviction that courage and preparation can overcome any obstacle. “You should never let other people decide your limits. Give it a try first. You might surprise yourself.”