2026

Fatou Baldeh

“Courage to me means standing against harmful practices and injustice that society has normalized, regardless of where they may stem from.” As Gambian parliamentarians currently debate repealing the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), Fatou Baldeh, a survivor of FGM/C, waded into this highly contentious and polarizing […]

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Benafsha Yaqoobi

Benafsha Yaqoobi, who is visually impaired, worked for years as an attorney defending the rights of women who faced violence; founded the Rahyab Organization in 2008 with her husband to provide education and rehabilitation to visually impaired people in Afghanistan; hosted a daily live television show to raise awareness about

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Facia Boyenoh Harris

Ms. Facia Boyenoh Harris is a life-long activist for women’s rights and against gender-based violence in Liberia. As a co-founder of the Paramount Young Women Initiative, she has worked for decades to address the pervasive sexual assault and harassment of school-aged girls, create opportunities for education, and provide leadership training

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Arbana Xharra headshot

Journalist, 2015 International Woman of Courage Arbana Xharra is an investigative journalist with international recognition. An expert on religious radicalization, she has authored a series of investigative reports on religious extremists and Turkey’s Islamic agenda operating in the Balkans and the European Union. Her articles were published in numerous world

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