Inequality affects women in every part of the world. Discover how you can challenge bias, support equity, and create lasting change.
Hadiqa Bashir is a 22-year-old activist and feminist from Swat Valley, Pakistan, known for her courageous advocacy for girls’ education, human rights, and peacebuilding in conflict-affected regions. A survivor of child marriage, Hadiqa has dedicated her life to raising awareness about the challenges faced by girls and women in areas affected by extremism and violence.
As the founder of Girls United for Human Rights, she leads initiatives focused on empowering girls through STEM education, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights awareness, and climate justice advocacy.
Hadiqa’s work has been recognized globally, with notable awards including the Muhammad Ali International Humanitarian Award and Women Deliver’s Young Leader Class of 2020. In 2020, she was named a United Nations SDG Young Leader and has since been a key voice for youth in global policy discussions.
Hadiqa’s Girls Go Back to School campaign has re-enrolled 2,000 girls in her community, and her One Girl, One Tree initiative connects girls’ education with climate action. Through GUHR, Hadiqa has impacted over 90,000 women and girls, promoting education, legal empowerment, and gender equality.
She is a passionate advocate for youth-led solutions, believing that empowering girls with education and rights is key to creating a sustainable, peaceful future. Hadiqa continues to inspire others through her leadership, determination, and commitment to breaking barriers for women and girls in Pakistan and beyond.
Sandy Paola Cabrera Arteaga is a Honduran philosopher, feminist, and human rights advocate recognized internationally for her work at the intersection of social justice, gender equity, and decolonial thought. With over seven years of experience in political advocacy, social communication, and international cooperation, Sandy has led impactful campaigns in Honduras, focusing on youth, migration, reproductive rights, and public education.
She was named one of the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women in the World in 2022—the first from Honduras and Central America to receive the honor—and continues to be a leading voice in feminist movement in Honduras and Latin America. Sandy has collaborated with civil society groups, multilateral organizations, and public institutions to advance gender equality, including co-designing Honduras’ national feminist cooperation policy during a short time at the Minister of External Affairs. She is also the creator and host of Diálogos Periféricos, a podcast on feminist and decolonial theory, and a former leader in grassroots initiatives such as the Yo No Quiero Ser Violada movement. Whether in diplomatic forums or community spaces, Sandy bridges philosophy and action with courage, clarity, and vision.
Francine Beatriz Pradez is a Filipina geologist who explores the world through the layers of rock formations, social issues, and the untold struggles of women and the youth in food and energy systems. She co-founded ILAW in 2023, an energy consumer group raising awareness on the cascading effects of grid fluctuations. With over a decade of experience supporting women and youth, Francine has represented their narratives at global platforms like the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum and the World Food Forum. She mentors young advocates through U-Go and fosters inclusive governance in the Asia Pacific Young Women in Governance Network.
As a Marketing and Communications Associate at Wedu, Francine bridges strategic communication and scientific expertise to promote gender-responsive systems. Her leadership spans over 25 national and international initiatives, including the 4th National Gathering of Girl Representatives and the Global Consultation on Climate Change and Gender Equality. Recognised for her impact on gender justice and sustainable development, Francine is a recipient of the 2024 Diana Award, the 2023 Gawad Tsanselor sa Natatanging Mag-aaral from UP Diliman, and the Blue Triangle Award from the YWCA of the Philippines.
Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi is a Nigerian women’s rights activist and the founder of the Stand to End Rape Initiative (STER), a leading organization combating sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria. She has led national campaigns, influenced policy reforms, including the adoption of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, and established Nigeria’s first Sex Offenders Register. She collaborated on the Emmy-nominated #SexforGrades documentary and launched digital tools to educate youth on gender equality and SGBV prevention. Through her leadership, she has raised multi-year funding, mentored diverse teams, and advised global organizations on youth, gender, and human rights programming. She also served as a UN SDG Young Leader, advancing youth-led action for the Sustainable Development Goals.
She has received multiple awards and honours for her work including being listed as TIME 100 Next 2019, Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2019, 2021 Outstanding Woman in Development Award from United Nations Association of Nigeria, Global Goal Keeper from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, A Global Citizen Hero and Obama Foundation Emerging Leader.
Mekdela is a beauty activist, speaker, and writer. She is a contributor of the anthology, “Pan African Spaces: Essays on Black Transnationalism.” Her work has been featured in the North England Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Pennycress Zine. She is the author of “Plus-Size: A Memoir of Pop Culture, Fatphobia, and Social Change.” Mekdela earned her MA in Social and Public Policy from the University of Leeds, where she wrote about how the media and public perception shape each other and the public policies that create our realities.
Mekdela is currently working for Environmental Justice with Black Women for Wellness in Los Angeles. In this position, she works to prevent plastic and water pollution and advocates for Beauty Justice. Her Beauty Justice work includes advocating to phase out toxic chemicals in beauty products marketed towards Black women and women of color. Mekdela also advocates to change racist and fatphobic beauty standards that disproportionately harm Black women. She is also a Body Image Coach helping clients to heal their relationships with their bodies, minds, and spirits. She is trained in holistic healing methods, Body Image Interventions, and recovery.
Aditi Arora is the India Country Manager for Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation initiative advancing girls’ leadership and gender equality. Under her leadership, Girl Up India has empowered over 10,000 youth changemakers across 200 cities, addressing issues such as gender-based violence, period poverty, and mental health, while equipping girls with skills in STEM and storytelling. Aditi spearheaded a fundraiser supporting 900 menstruators across 10 cities with two years of menstrual supplies.
She is a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 (2022) honouree in the Social Impact category and a two-time TEDx speaker. Aditi serves as a Next Gen India Advisor and sits on several advisory boards, including the Fortune Institute of International Business, Mysfit Trans Youth Foundation, and Youth for Climate–India. She has spoken globally at platforms such as Women Deliver, CSW68, and the Girl Up Leadership Summit. Aditi holds a master’s degree in International Relations from The Graduate Institute, Geneva.
Desean Newman is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment, community development, and crime prevention. Hailing from the vibrant nation of St. Kitts and Nevis, Desean actively serves as a youth parliamentarian in the St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association (SKNYPA), an organization dedicated to giving young people a voice in nation-building.
With a strong commitment to creating opportunities for young people, Desean focuses on mentoring young men, encouraging them to pursue leadership, entrepreneurship, sports, and trades as alternatives to crime. Through his work, he has inspired many to recognize their potential and take active roles in building stronger, safer communities.
Desean’s advocacy efforts include pushing for policies that address youth issues, fostering collaboration across communities, and promoting initiatives that empower the next generation. His vision is rooted in the belief that young people are critical agents of change who can shape a brighter future for their communities and the world.Whether through mentorship programs, policy advocacy, or collaborative projects, Desean remains steadfast in his mission to uplift and inspire young people to become leaders and changemakers, both locally and globally.
Klau Chmielowska is a graduate of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree from the University of Oxford. Klau has carved a formidable path in championing gender health equality, driven by early observations of the systemic challenges their peers faced. Leveraging their extensive research experience and management consulting expertise, Klau founded Lafiya Nigeria, amplifying women’s reproductive rights and providing access to contraception to thousands of women living in extreme poverty. Lafiya Nigeria trains midwives, nurses, and community health workers to become “Lafiya Sisters,” specialists in family planning. Their team ensures that new mothers in hard-to-reach communities receive family planning counselling and access to contraceptives right after childbirth, empowering women to take control of their reproductive health.
Through Lafiya, Klau has reached over 300k women already and will get to 500k by the end of the year, helping them to make informed choices about their reproductive health. They have earned prestigious accolades for their innovative approach including the D-Prize Award and the Diana Award. Klau is a Mulago Rainer Arnhold Fellow, Charity Entrepreneurship Incubatee, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute.
Yande Banda is a powerful African activist and mobilizer. With over 7 years of experience working with the UN and speaking at its highest moments. From the Generation Equality Forum, where she called the world’s most powerful leaders to their feet and made them commit to using the 40 billion USD raised to fund gender equality in education to UNICEF Highest level Executive session where she represented the voices of adolescents and girls for the first time in ten years and called for an intergenerational approach to dealing with the issues of education. As an influential philanthropic advocate and funder, she has allocated over 500,000 USD to girl and youth led organizations all over the world prioritizing those in the Global South and Africa in particular and has additionally chaired important UN Meetings spanning from the ECOSOC youth Forum in New York and the CSW. She has represented her work in over 20 countries, speaking to over 40 heads of state and global thought leaders as a representative of the community she serves. Yande Banda believes in putting the realities of girls on the global stage while prioritizing their needs, priorities, and solutions, most importantly.
Aziza El Azizi is an intersectional feminist, passionate youth empowerment advocate and social change leader from Morocco, deeply committed to promoting gender equality and human rights. With a strong focus on community-driven projects, Aziza has worked tirelessly to empower girls and young women, particularly in rural areas of Morocco. As the Program Coordinator at Project Soar Association, she has led initiatives that provide girls with leadership training, workshops, and resources to combat child marriage and inspire self-empowerment. Aziza has also made a significant impact through her work as a CorpsAfrica alumna, where she established a kindergarten in the High Atlas Mountains, giving girls access to education and leadership opportunities. Her dedication extends to relief efforts, where she contributed to providing menstrual hygiene products after the earthquake. A proud advocate and leader, Aziza continues to champion gender equality and strives to create a world where every girl can lead and achieve her full potential.
Ubalda Mensah, a dedicated advocate for quality education and female empowerment, hails from Winneba, Ghana. Currently serving as a project manager for the Vince Memorial Garden and Education Foundation. She did her mandatory National Service serving as a Teaching Assistant at the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana. Ubalda is committed to shaping the next generation of leaders.
She is the visionary behind the Upward Motion Foundation, a non-profit organization empowering over 2000 junior high school girls through mentorship and skills training. Her passion as a girls empowerment advocate can also be seen in her voluntary role as a Transitions Guide at CAMFED Ghana.
As an alumna of the Yale Young Africa Scholars Program, Mastercard Foundation Scholar program and the Aspire Leaders program by Harvard University, Ubalda has developed her leadership skills and continues to strive for excellence in her pursuit of becoming a renowned Girl Child activist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist. She was awarded in 2024, the prestigious Diana Award from the UK as well as an award for Girls Empowerment advocate in Ghana at the NGO Impact Awards.
Lavinia Rotundi is an Italian-born gender equality and social inclusion advocate currently based in Belgium. With a background in Political Science, she holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from LUISS Guido Carli in Rome and is preparing to pursue a specialization in Gender Studies at UCLouvain in Brussels. Lavinia currently serves as a Policy and Advocacy Officer at the Europe Hub of Politics4Her, a global intersectional feminist movement advocating for the inclusive participation of young women and girls in politics and civil society. Through this, she develops policy briefs and advocacy strategies addressing women’s rights and gender discrimination, contributes to expert panels on online gender-based violence, and has led statements for the 16 Days of Activism campaign, with a particular focus on AI gender bias and digital threats to equality.
Lavinia also works with a European NGO on disability rights and accessibility policy, advancing inclusive public policy. She has long been active in gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and grassroots activism, contributing to both community initiatives and EU-level policy. As a digital activist and content creator, she uses platforms like Twitch and Instagram to spark dialogue on social justice, emerging technologies, and intersectional feminism. Across all her work, Lavinia centers intersectionality, amplifies marginalized voices, and challenges systemic inequality.
Promise Chipeta recently completed her studies in Social Work with a specialization in Community Development and is awaiting her final results. She currently serves as the Girl Up Malawi Country Ambassador, where she is deeply committed to advancing women’s and girls’ empowerment, advocating for education, addressing period poverty, promoting women’s health, and supporting cleft lip and palate awareness, among other causes. As the founder and president of Girl Up Aspire and the regional leader for Girl Up Malawi, Africa (2022-2024), Promise has been actively engaged with Girl Up for over five years. Since 2018, her club has organized fundraisers and leadership workshops in Lilongwe and Mzuzu. In 2019, she was invited to host the Girl Up Leadership Summit and lead an Inspire Session in Washington, D.C. Most recently, her club has focused on reaching out to girls in Lilongwe City, providing sanitary products to combat period poverty, conducting mentorship sessions, and delivering leadership training. Her exceptional dedication earned her the #GirlHero Award in 2022, recognizing her as a global advocate for gender justice. Apart from her work at Girl Up, she has taken part in several other initiatives and is the founder of SportifyHer, an organization aimed at empowering young women and girls through sports. Promise’s unwavering commitment to community development and gender equality continues to inspire meaningful change in Malawi and beyond.
Adeng Andrew Malual Leek is a dedicated peacebuilder and Civic Engagement Program Manager at Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP), where she leads the planning, implementation, and administration of a multi-country project spanning six nations with a budget of over $2 million. Her work focuses on protecting civilians and preventing violence in conflict-affected areas. Adeng holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management from the University of Essex and brings over eight years of experience in human rights advocacy, gender equality, and transitional justice. She has contributed to key institutions and initiatives, including the African Union Commission, South Sudan Women’s Empowerment Network (SSWEN), and various civil society organizations.
Her achievements include training more than 80 women parliamentarians on constitutional and legislative processes, supporting the establishment of the Commission for Truth, Healing and Reconciliation, and facilitating national dialogues on critical gender policies and legal reforms. In recognition of her impact, she was named one of the Most Influential People of African Descent under 35 in 2021. Adeng’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to inclusive peacebuilding and ensuring that the voices of women and marginalized communities shape the future of governance and justice.
Soufiane Hennani is a Moroccan researcher, educator, and activist dedicated to cultivating positive masculinities and advancing gender and sexuality-based justice. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy – Hassan II University of Casablanca, bringing an interdisciplinary lens to his advocacy, education, and research. He is the founder of MACHI ROJOLA, a podcast and platform launched in 2020 to challenge toxic masculinity and reimagine gender norms in Morocco. He also co-founded the Elille Collective, which promotes sexual diversity and gender plurality through cultural and community-based initiatives.
Soufiane serves as Instructional Design Manager at Atelier des Luttes, designing and leading educational programs on gender equality, human rights, and e-activism. As National Lead Researcher for Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice, he authors regional reports on masculinities, violence prevention, and the role of men and boys in advancing gender equity. He contributes regularly to publications such as Justice Climatique, Urgences Sociales and Souk R’jal / Souk E’nsa’, and was recognized as a laureate of the Arab Foundation for Freedom and Equality’s Social Change Program in 2019. Through his roles, Soufiane Hennani continues to shape public discourse on masculinities and advocate for a more inclusive, equitable future.
Mozn Hassan is an award-winning Egyptian feminist and human rights defender. She founded Nazra for Feminist Studies, The Doria Feminist Fund, MENA Gender Clinic, and The Caucus of Women in Politics in the Arab Region. Through Nazra, she led groundbreaking efforts to document and respond to mass sexual assaults during the 2011 Egyptian revolution, offering legal, medical, and psychological support to survivors. She has trained women candidates for political office across Egypt and worked to embed feminist discourse in public policy. Despite facing state repression, including a five-year travel ban, asset freeze, and the closure of Nazra’s office, Hassan continues to advance gender justice. She holds degrees in law, human rights, and community psychology, with a focus on refugee women and psychosocial support. She has received many awards, including the Global Fund for Women’s inaugural Charlotte Bunch Women Human Rights Defenders Award in 2013. Hassan and Nazra were jointly awarded the Right Livelihood Award, often called the “Alternative Nobel Peace Prize,” in 2016 “for asserting the equality and rights of women in circumstances where they are subject to ongoing violence, abuse, and discrimination.” In 2020, Hassan also received the Hrant Dink Award for peace, rights, and equality as well as recognition in the Shecurity Index as one of the world’s leading women peacebuilders.
Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School and an internationally recognized expert in advancing women and promoting gender equity in organizations. As an academic researcher, Siri specializes in identifying practical approaches to close gender gaps at work by de-biasing structures and designing fairer processes. As an advisor and speaker, she collaborates with organizations including start-ups, large multinational companies, top professional services firms, governments, non-profits, and academic institutions to advance gender equity through evidence-based insights. Siri’s work regularly appears in leading media outlets and she has spoken on gender equity at hundreds of large events around the world. Siri is the coauthor, with Iris Bohnet, of Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results (HarperCollins, 2025). She has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College.
