Annual Report 2025

“Women will not give up. We are fuelled by a will to survive.” — Narges Mohammadi

In 2025, the world continued to face deepening crises. Wars intensified, authoritarianism expanded, and human rights came under sustained attack. From Palestine and Sudan to Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Iran, and beyond, women and girls carried the heaviest burdens of violence, displacement, repression, and the denial of their most basic rights. 

And yet, amid these realities, women continued to lead with extraordinary courage. Across contexts, they organized, resisted, defended their communities, and advanced visions of peace and justice rooted in lived experience, solidarity, and collective care. 

On 12 December 2025, our sister laureate Narges Mohammadi was once again unjustly detained in Iran for continuing to speak out for freedom, democracy, and women’s rights. Like so many women leaders this year, she refused silence despite immense personal risk. We reaffirm our solidarity with Narges and with all political prisoners and human rights defenders facing persecution for demanding justice and freedom. 

Throughout the year, the women we worked alongside reminded us what this courage looks like in practice. In Kabul and Kandahar, young women joined our Sister-to-Sister Afghanistan program from darkened rooms, speaking softly so neighbors would not hear. During our delegation to Palestine and Jordan in April 2025, we met women living through occupation, displacement, and profound loss, who continued to resist, to demand justice, accountability, and dignity for their people. As one woman told us, “We do not ask for pity. We demand justice. We demand the right to live.” Throughout the delegation, we were reminded that showing up, listening, and bearing witness are themselves acts of solidarity. 

At Nobel Women’s Initiative, we remain steadfast in our commitment to stand alongside women and movements. We believe lasting peace cannot be imposed from above or built through militarism alone. It must be shaped by the people living through conflict and injustice - especially women, whose leadership is essentially, but too often ignored. 

This belief guided our work throughout 2025 and shaped the theme of our Sister-to-Sister program: Rooted & Rising. Young women from more than 20 countries gathered, inspired by the legacy of our founding sister laureate Wangari Maathai, to build new pathways for feminist leadership, climate justice, and peace. Across every region, we witnessed movements deeply rooted in community, memory, and shared struggle continue to rise in the face of violence, repression, and fear. 

We also saw how care, solidarity, and what we have come to understand as radical love sustain people and movements through the long work of resistance and transformation. In a world increasingly shaped by division, disinformation, and authoritarianism, these forms of connection and collective action are more necessary than ever. As Maria Ressa has warned, “information integrity is the mother of all battles.” 

As we look ahead, we remain committed to strengthening solidarity across borders, defending truth and democracy, and supporting the courageous women leading movements for peace and justice every day. Another future remains possible — rooted in solidarity and rising through collective action. 

And as our sister laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk reminds us: 

“ordinary people have much more power than they realize.” 

In solidarity, 

Rigoberta Menchu Tum 

Jody Williams 

Shirin Ebadi 

Leymah Gbowee 

Tawakkol Karman 

Maria Ressa 

Oleksandra Matviichuk 

Narges Mohammadi 

In 2025, the global context in which Nobel Women’s Initiative works grew more complex and urgent. Escalating conflicts, shrinking civic space, and increasing attacks on human rights underscored the need not only for bold advocacy, but for resilient organizations capable of sustaining movements and supporting women leaders over the long term. 

Throughout the year, the Board worked closely with NWI’s staff team and laureates to support the organization’s mission, provide strategic oversight and ensure that NWI remained responsive and grounded in a rapidly changing global landscape. The Board met five times throughout the year, focusing on organizational stewardship, strategic priorities, accountability, and long-term sustainability. 

The Board also continued to support efforts to strengthen NWI internally. In 2025, NWI undertook a structured process focused on team health, alignment, and organizational culture, reinforcing ways of working rooted in care, trust, accountability and collaboration. This work strengthened internal cohesion and supported the organization’s ability to respond effectively in an increasingly demanding global context. 

The Board also reviewed and approved the organization’s annual budget and financial statements, ensuring alignment with NWI’s strategic priorities and long-term sustainability. In a challenging funding environment, we remain committed to responsible stewardship of resources while maximizing impact across programs, staffing, operations, and advocacy. Supporting resource mobilization, effective governance, accountability and organizational sustainability remain a key priority for the Board. 

2025 also marked an important step in the evolution of NWI’s governance. We welcomed Negina Yari to the Board. An alumna of the Sister-to-Sister program and a feminist leader from Afghanistan, Negina brings valuable lived experience and a strong connection to the communities at the heart of NWI’s work. 

At a time of deep global uncertainty, the importance of NWI’s voice and the leadership of women peacebuilders has never been more urgent. We are deeply grateful to NWI’s staff, Laureates, partners, alumni, and supporters for their leadership, dedication, and continued commitment throughout the year. As a Board, we remain committed to supporting the organization’s mission and standing in solidarity with the courageous women and movements working every day for peace, justice, and equality.

Regards,

Roberta Clarke, Board Chair, 2025. 

Roberta Clarke's photo is courtesy of Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos from Washington under this license.

Nobel Women’s Initiative is led by eight women Nobel Peace Prize laureates - Jody Williams (USA), Shirin Ebadi (Iran), Tawakkol Karman (Yemen), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Rigoberta Menchu Tum (Guatemala), Maria Ressa (Philippines), Narges Mohammadi (Iran) and Oleksandra Matviichuk (Ukraine). Women are crucial to lasting peace, and yet in times of war and conflict they are seen as victims, and too often excluded from formal peace-building processes. The laureates know the importance of women peacebuilders, and the challenges they face firsthand. At NWI they work together to use the platform and access that the Nobel Peace Prize offers to elevate the voices and support the work of women peace activists.  

Through our work, we aim to achieve three key outcomes: 

Outcome 1: Women Leading Peace Together 

Collective power of women’s movement and feminist peace leadership is bolder  

“At the end of the day what matters in our world...is finding sisters that can help us in our goals and objectives” - Leymah Gbowee 

Outcome 2: Women Influencing Change 

Decision-makers recognize and center the priorities of women activists in strategies and policies.  

“It is women who will open the door to democracy in Iran.” — Shirin Ebadi 

Outcome 3: Women Shifting Media Narrative 

Women activists and their solutions for peace are more represented in media, transforming dominant narratives  

“Information integrity is the mother of all battles. Win this, and we can win the rest. Lose this, and we lose everything.” — Maria Ressa. 

 The photo used here was taken by Tracy Shift. Rights owned by NWI.

Outcome 1: Expanding Feminist Leadership Networks 

Nobel Women’s Initiative continued to strengthen feminist peace leadership through the Sister-to-Sister program, a long-standing initiative that connects and supports women activists, particularly in conflict-affected and restrictive contexts. Rooted in the understanding that women are essential to building sustainable peace, yet are too often excluded from decision-making, Sister-to-Sister creates spaces for women to build skills, share experiences, strengthen networks, and learn from established women leaders and one another across borders. The program centers care, solidarity, and collective resilience as core to feminist movement-building and long-term impact.  

Sister-to-Sister Afghanistan

In response to participant feedback for specific regional-focused spaces, in 2025 Nobel Women’s Initiative convened the first regional Sister-to-Sister program with a dedicated focus on Afghanistan.  

Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, women and girls in Afghanistan have faced a near-total erosion of their fundamental rights. Systematic restrictions have been imposed on access to education, employment, freedom of movement, and participation in public and political life. Many women activists operate under constant threat and risk of retaliation, making even basic organizing efforts extraordinarily difficult. In this context, opportunities for connection, learning, and collective strategizing are essential. 

The program brought together 15 feminist peace activists both inside Afghanistan and in exile. Developed in close collaboration with Sister-to-Sister alumni from Afghanistan and partner organizations, the program created a rare space for connection, reflection, skills-building, and collective strategizing for women's organizing in an extremely restrictive and high-risk context. Six live cohort sessions, mentoring circles, and informal check-ins created a space for trust, resilience, and cross-border solidarity. 

Participants reported consistently high levels of relevance and satisfaction, with all respondents rating the program 10/10 overall, and over 70% rating both program design and session relevance at the highest level. Feedback underscored the importance of a space grounded in trust, shared experience, and political clarity, where participants could engage openly without needing to justify or explain their realities. Participants identified concrete ways they are applying learning in their work, including strengthening advocacy on gender apartheid, integrating feminist approaches into community initiatives, and improving digital security practices.  

The program also contributed to building sustained connections among Afghan women activists, helping to reduce isolation and strengthen collective resilience in a context where daily life for women is profoundly restricted and opportunities to gather, share, and organize are extremely limited. 

Sister-to-Sister Annual Program

The 2025 Sister-to-Sister annual program was organized under the theme Rooted & Rising, marking 20 years since Nobel Peace Prize laureate and NWI co-founder Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her visionary leadership in peace and environmental justice. Drawing on her legacy, the program emphasized the interconnectedness of care for the Earth and care for one another, and explored leadership that is rooted in community and rising through collective action in the face of intersecting crises. 

The program brought together 25 young feminist activists from conflict, post-conflict, and climate-affected contexts, selected from a highly competitive pool of 730 applicants - the highest number received to date, reflecting the program’s growing reach, relevance, and urgency.

The participants — Ayesha, Daniela, Grace, Hillary, Hina, Jacqueline, Jamella, Jeanette, Jessica, Juno, Karen, Lauritta, Lilian, Juliet Grace, Maryam, Maureen, Mirella, Mitzi, Mutheu, Nazgul, Ringisai, Ruqia, Summer, Viola, and Wiem — included a farmer from Palestine, a filmmaker from Kyrgyzstan, a poet from Guyana, a clean energy expert from Kenya, and many others. Throughout the program, participants engaged in feminist political analysis, environmental and climate justice discussions, advocacy, and movement-building strategy alongside inspiring speakers, women leaders, and peers. Through six live cohort sessions, mentoring circles, and informal community spaces, participants-built trust, deepened analysis, and strengthened cross-border solidarity.

Alumnae played a central role in shaping and delivering the program, reflecting NWI’s commitment to deepening leadership pathways and strengthening continuity across cohorts. Sisters from previous cohorts helped design and lead sessions, while five alumnae served as mentors to the 2025 participants, offering guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the program. Their involvement enriched the learning experience while reinforcing the sense that participants are joining an enduring and interconnected feminist community grounded in solidarity, mentorship, and shared experience. 

The program contributed to measurable increases in participants’ confidence and capacity: 83% of participants rated sessions as highly relevant and 92% rated facilitation as very effective. Participants highlighted gains in advocacy, storytelling, and collective organizing, and are already applying these skills through grassroots initiatives and engagement in global advocacy spaces, including participation in international processes such as COP, the annual UN climate conference. 

One participant shared that the program taught her “the essence of advocacy” and how to confidently pitch and represent her work, while another highlighted gaining “practical and reflective knowledge,” particularly in understanding climate justice through a feminist lens and recognizing storytelling and solidarity as powerful organizing tools.

Following the program, participants continue advancing change within their communities and movements under extraordinary conditions, carrying forward new tools, strengthened networks, and the confidence to challenge injustice. In contexts marked by conflict and repression, they are sustaining movements, advancing feminist solutions, and strengthening pathways to peace and justice. 

Sister-to-Sister Alumni Program 

2025 marked the launch of a structured Sister-to-Sister alumni program, strengthening engagement with a growing network of over 140 alumni and creating more intentional opportunities for ongoing connection across cohorts, regions, and borders. The program aims not only to sustain relationships, deepen sisterhood and solidarity, and support alumni in their continued leadership and activism, but also to strengthen their connection to Nobel Women’s Initiative (NWI) and ensure that the voices, experiences, and priorities of Sister-to-Sister participants are meaningfully centered across NWI’s work and strategic directions. In 2025, the alumni program expanded opportunities for connection, learning, collaboration, and leadership through a range of structured and informal activities. These included the launch of a quarterly alumni newsletter; two open online workshops on Fundraising and Media Engagement and Interview Skills; the inclusion of alumni in the design and delivery of the annual program; and targeted opportunities for visibility and advocacy, such as inclusion in the InterviewHer expert database, the continued participation of alumni in NWI delegations and participation in global forums including the One Young World Summit.

   Some photos from our One Young World summit in Munich. Here's more photos. Photos taken by Bill Omondi, Rights owned by NWI.

Ongoing spaces for exchange and mutual support were also maintained, creating regular touchpoints between alumni and NWI. Key milestones included the appointment of an alumna, Negina Yari from Afghanistan, to the NWI Board, ensuring representation of the network in the guidance and oversight of NWI’s work. In addition, two alumni co-chairs, Gloria Albert and Yasmina Benslimane, were selected to help shape the network, strengthen connections across cohorts, and lead and propose activities going forward. 

Alumni also contributed articles to NWI's website, participated in media and storytelling initiatives, and supported newer cohorts through mentorship and knowledge-sharing. In 2025, NWI made a concerted effort to commission reflection pieces and articles from the Sister-to-Sister alumni network, resulting in the publication and promotion of 11 articles authored by Sisters. Together, these efforts reflect a deepening of the Sister-to-Sister program from a time-bound leadership initiative to a sustained feminist network that not only enables continued collaboration, shared analysis, and collective action across contexts, but also actively informs and strengthens NWI’s broader work.  

Get to know the first Alumni Network Chairs:

Yasmina Benslimane 

Yasmina Benslimane is a feminist activist, organizer from Morocco. She is the founder of Politics4Her, a platform supporting young women and girls to lead, organize, and participate in political life. Yasmina has been recognized by the BBC 100 Women list, Forbes 30 Under 30, and UN Women for her leadership and advocacy. She took part in the 2024 Sister-to-Sister program under the theme “Peace Needs Women”.  

Gloria Albert 

Gloria Albert is a pharmacist, feminist advocate, and community organizer from South Sudan working to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights. She founded an organization focused on menstrual health education and community support, including establishing South Sudan’s first Menstrual Station - a safe space providing girls with information, sanitary products, and support. She took part in the 2023 Sister-to-Sister program. 

Outcome 2: Deepening Political Advocacy 

In 2025, Nobel Women’s Initiative strengthened its global advocacy to ensure that feminist perspectives and the voices of women on the frontlines of conflict and repression shape international policy and decision-making. At a time when dominant narratives continue to prioritize state security and militarized responses, NWI worked to shift discourse by amplifying the leadership, analysis, and demands of women activists and Nobel laureates in key global forums. Through strategic engagement in high-level spaces and sustained public advocacy, NWI contributed to advancing people-centered approaches to peace, justice, and accountability, while ensuring that the realities and priorities of those most affected by conflict remain visible and influential. 

Delegation: Palestinian Women’s Resistance, Resilience and Rights 

In 2025, Nobel Women’s Initiative advanced women’s influence in political and policy spaces through its delegation Palestinian Women’s Resistance, Resilience and Rights, convened in the West Bank and Jordan. The delegation was organized in response to the escalating crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, and the persistent exclusion of Palestinian women from political and peace processes, despite their central role in responding to and resisting these conditions. Led by Nobel Peace Prize laureates Tawakkol Karman (Yemen), Dr. Shirin Ebadi (Iran), and Jody Williams (USA), the delegation brought together Palestinian feminist leaders, women human rights defenders, and international partners to ensure that women’s lived realities, political analysis, and demands were centered within international advocacy and decision-making spaces. Symbolically, the delegation’s ability to enter occupied Palestinian territory at a moment of severe restriction and heightened risk carried particular significance, deepening NWI’s credibility with Palestinian partners and civil society by demonstrating concrete solidarity and presence.

     Some photos from our delegation in West Bank and Jordan. Click here to view more. Photos taken by Mariam Shahin and Ayman Abu Ramouz. Rights owned by NWI.

During the delegation laureates Jody Williams, Tawakkol Karman and Shirin Ebadi engaged directly with women living under occupation and in displacement. In one visit to a women’s center in a refugee camp, Jody Williams asked a simple but powerful question: “Do you ever get angry?” The silence that followed spoke volumes, capturing the weight of lived experience, and the unspoken realities that often go unheard in formal policy spaces. Moments like these grounded the delegation’s advocacy in human experience, reinforcing the urgency of centering women’s voices in peace and political processes. 

Over the course of one week, the delegation engaged directly with a range of decision-makers and influential actors, including UN agencies such as UNRWA, diplomatic representatives, and high-level political figures, including an audience at Basman Palace. These engagements created rare and direct opportunities for Palestinian women to articulate their priorities on protection, accountability, and a just and lasting peace, while also shaping the understanding of international stakeholders. By grounding these exchanges in first-hand testimonies and feminist political analysis, the delegation strengthened the recognition of women not as victims of conflict, but as leaders, analysts, and agents of change whose perspectives are essential to effective policy responses. 

The delegation contributed to more coordinated and visible feminist advocacy at a critical political moment. It amplified clear and unified calls for a permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, an arms embargo, and full accountability for violations of international law. The delegation also intentionally bridged grassroots realities with international policy spaces, including through targeted diplomatic convenings and public engagements that brought women’s voices directly into dialogue with policymakers.  

Its impact extended beyond the delegation itself through sustained advocacy and communications efforts. The report Sumoud: Palestinian Women’s Resistance, Resilience and Rights, was used as an ongoing advocacy tool with policymakers, partners, and international organizations, including distribution at key moments such as the United Nations General Assembly.

Together, these efforts contributed to strengthening the visibility, legitimacy, and uptake of Palestinian women’s priorities within international policy discussions, reinforcing the central role of women in shaping pathways toward justice, accountability, and peace. 

Advocating for a People-Centered Peace Process in Ukraine 

In 2025, Nobel Women’s Initiative planned to convene a delegation to Ukraine to support and amplify the leadership of women activists working in the context of Russia’s ongoing war of aggression, with a focus on advancing a people-centered approach to peace that reflects the needs and realities of those most affected. Due to intensified Russian attacks and a deteriorating security situation, the delegation was cancelled, prioritizing the safety of participants and partners. 

 Nobel Peace Prize laureates in Rome. Photo taken by Maria Butler. Rights owned by NWI.

NWI continued to advocate for a people-centered approach to peace through public statements. NWI also supported the leadership of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk, including her participation in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome, where she emphasized that sustainable peace must be rooted in the experiences of people living through war, and that recovery efforts must center human rights and accountability. 

In parallel, NWI supported communications efforts to amplify these perspectives globally, including facilitating an op-ed by Oleksandra Matviichuk in Project Syndicate, which underscored the need for peace processes to address occupation, atrocities, and justice. Together, these efforts contributed to advancing a more grounded and people-centered discourse on peace in Ukraine. 

Global Advocacy

Nobel Women’s Initiative strengthened its influence in global policy spaces through sustained advocacy across key international forums and platforms. In a context of escalating conflict and backlash against women’s rights, NWI and laureates worked to ensure that feminist analysis and the priorities of women activists remained visible, credible, and engaged within high-level decision-making spaces. 

During the United Nations General Assembly in New York NWI co-hosted and took part in several key events:  

• It’s HER Turn: Tracking Member States’ Commitments on Selecting a Woman Secretary-General of the United Nations, co-hosted with the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders  

• A Global Convening: Everyday Authoritarianism and Human Rights: Comparative and Transnational Lessons, led by CUNY’s Institute of Gender, Law and Transformative Peace  

• Annual Symposium on Women’s Leadership for International Peace and Security, co-hosted with the International Peace Institute 

The visibility of feminist leadership was further amplified through high-profile interventions, including Maria Ressa opening the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and Tawakkol Karman participating in high-level discussions at UN Headquarters. 

NWI extended this advocacy across other major international platforms, including the Munich Security Conference and Geneva Peace Week. In these spaces, NWI brought feminist perspectives into global peace and security debates, challenging dominant narratives centered on militarization and state security, and advancing people-centered, feminist approaches to peace, justice, and accountability.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi, NWI staff, and Mesoamerican activists at Geneva Peace Week 2025. Photo taken by Irina Popa. Rights owned by NWI.

NWI also brought feminist advocacy into regional policy and movement spaces through participation in the 19th International Conference on “The European Union, Turkey, the Middle East and the Kurds” and the International Conference on Peace and Democratic Society in Istanbul. These engagements created opportunities to connect laureate leadership with regional debates on democracy, peace, accountability, and self-determination. 

NWI continued to advocate for the full and unconditional release of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, who spent most of 2025 on temporary medical release but was detained again in December 2025. Speaking from Iran during the temporary release, Narges Mohammadi shared the resilience of women political prisoners in Iran, highlighting acts of resistance that persist even under extreme conditions. In Geneva, Shirin Ebadi echoed her messages and addressed the ongoing repression in Iran, underscoring the limits of reform in the face of entrenched power, while continuing to advocate for justice and accountability.

Nobel Peace Prize laureates Jody Williams, Leymah Gbowee, Oleksandra Matviichuk and Shirin Ebadi demand the release of Narges Mohammadi.

Throughout the year, NWI and laureates engaged in sustained advocacy through public statements, media engagement, and strategic communications, responding to urgent and evolving crises. This included drawing attention to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where ongoing conflict has led to widespread displacement and heightened risks of gender-based violence; amplifying calls for accountability in Iran amid continued repression of pro-democracy movements, particularly targeting women and youth; and consistently denouncing the systematic erasure of women’s rights in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. NWI also sustained advocacy on the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, calling for greater international attention to displacement, protection of civilians, accountability for armed actors, and the meaningful inclusion of women and young women in peace processes. NWI also deepened its advocacy on gender apartheid, calling for stronger international legal recognition of gender-based systems of oppression and accountability for those who enforce them. 

Across these contexts, NWI maintained clear and coordinated calls for peace, women’s inclusion, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights.

In 2025, Nobel Women’s Initiative strengthened its use of storytelling as a strategic tool to shift dominant narratives on peace, conflict, and human rights. Recognizing that traditional media often overlooks or simplifies women’s roles, NWI invested in creative and non-traditional approaches, particularly documentary filmmaking, to bring forward the voices, experiences and analysis of women on the frontlines. By working with local filmmakers and centering the stories and messages of women in their own communities, these efforts connect grassroots activism to global policy spaces. Through this approach, NWI not only amplifies visibility, but also contributes to shifting narratives, inspiring solidarity and demonstrating how courage and collective care drive real-world change. 

Documentary Storytelling: Guatemala and Palestine 

In 2024, NWI commissioned the documentary Tapestries of Light, Life, and Community in Guatemala as part of its broader strategy to amplify the leadership, resistance, and lived realities of Indigenous women in Guatemala, particularly in the context of land rights, environmental justice, and post-conflict peacebuilding. In 2025, NWI focused on the promotion and distribution of the film, significantly expanding its reach and impact. The documentary was screened at 34 events across 14 countries, reaching over 1,100 participants in person and approximately 1.3 million people online.These screenings created spaces for dialogue across audiences—including activists, policymakers, and community members—strengthening understanding of Indigenous women’s leadership and contributing to greater visibility of their solutions for peace and justice. In several contexts, screenings facilitated direct engagement between grassroots voices and decision-makers, demonstrating the film’s role as both a storytelling and advocacy tool. A particular highlight took place in Mexico City in July, where Rigoberta Menchú Tum convened Indigenous and feminist leaders for a screening that created a vibrant space for dialogue, solidarity, and cross-border collaboration.

Some photos from our screening in Mexico. Click here to view more.

In 2025, NWI also commissioned Samidoun: The Steadfast Women of Palestine, responding to the urgent need to shift how Palestinian women are represented in global discourse. While there is no shortage of information on Palestine, much of it fails to center the lived realities, leadership, and political analysis of women. This documentary seeks to address that gap by foregrounding women’s voices, resistance, and agency in the face of occupation and genocide. Produced by an independent filmmaker with deep regional expertise, the film forms part of NWI’s broader strategy to challenge reductive narratives and ensure that Palestinian women are recognized not only as affected by conflict, but as central actors shaping responses to it. Initial promotion and ongoing distribution efforts position the film as a key tool for influencing public understanding and strengthening narrative impact globally.  

InterviewHer: Increasing Visibility of Women Experts 

Despite the central roles women play in driving peace and advancing human rights, dominant narratives on peace and security continue to marginalize their voices, often portraying women primarily as victims rather than as experts and leaders. Men remain significantly more visible as authoritative voices in media coverage: the Global Media Monitoring Project reports that only 24% of experts featured in the media worldwide are women. 

InterviewHer was created in 2019 as a practical tool to shift who is seen and heard as a credible authority in global conversations. It is a global platform that connects journalists with diverse women experts on human rights, peace, security, gender-based violence, and related issues. By making feminist expertise and lived experience more accessible, the platform amplifies the voices of women working on the frontlines of conflict and crisis and ensures their perspectives are included in critical public discourse. 

Interfaces of InterviewHer website and the LinkedIn page.

Following a four-month closure for upgrades and visual enhancement, the platform was relaunched in January 2025 with improved functionality and a refreshed design. These enhancements were critical to strengthening the user experience and positioning InterviewHer for continued growth and impact.

In 2025, 39 new experts were added to the platform, and NWI expanded outreach to media professionals through a targeted strategy, including launching a LinkedIn presence and piloting paid promotion aimed specifically at journalists and editors. These efforts contributed to over 6,600 pageviews during the year. While overall traffic was lower than the previous year due to the temporary closure, the relaunch has created a strong foundation for renewed engagement. NWI is now focused on reactivating existing audiences and expanding reach, building on the platform’s enhanced functionality and visibility.

The photos used in this page were taken by Soledad Violeta Carbajal. Rights are owned by Nobel Women's Initiative.

Coming Soon!

Nobel Women’s Initiative would like to thank the following organizations and individuals for their continued support of our work

We acknowledge the vision and tenacity of our Nobel Peace Prize laureates: 

Rigoberta Menchú Tum 

Shirin Ebadi 

Jody Williams 

Leymah Gbowee 

Tawakkol Karman 

Narges Mohammadi 

Oleksandra Matviichuk 

Maria Ressa 

NWI Supporters and every member of our NWI Philanthropy Circle

Cynda Collins Arsenault

Rebecca Austen

Laura Bennett

Meenakshi Budhraja

Susan Byrd

Gretchen Canter

Sarah Cavanaugh

Aimee Cunningham

Lynne Dobson

Gloria Joseph

Deborah King

Rebecca Lewandowki

Carrie Freeman Parsons & Olivia Parsons

Min Ryan

Kathi Seifert

Kay Creath

Marci Shimoff

Jill Flournoy  

Emily Bush and family 

Michelle Smith

Simone Talma Flowers

Dyan Triffo

Julia Wells

Nancy Word

Dawn Frojen

Lynn Twist

Carolyn Buck Luce

Jody William

Magnes Welsh

Sara Vetter 

Partners, Foundations, Donors and Supporters

Family and Estate of Eleanor Byrnes Oakley

Oak Foundation

Magos Foundation

Global Affairs Canada

JASS Just Associates

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Myriad Canada

MADRE 

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

...and many more generous supporters.  

We acknowledge the time and commitment of the Board of Directors: 

Anne-Marie Goetz 

Roberta Clarke 

Nermeen Shaikh 

Julienne Lusenge 

Susan Evans 

Katharina Samara-Wickrama 

Negina Yari 

We thank our dedicated and talented staff for their commitment to our mission and for contributing their expertise, energy, and skills to the work of the organization:  

Maria Butler 

Executive Director

Fabiola Pascal 

Finance and Operations Manager

Daina Ruduša 

Head of Communications

Jacquelinne Cadena  

Finance and Administrative Assistant 

Dildar Kaya 

Advocacy Coordinator 

Amy Lira 

Partnership Coordinator 

Nicole Musimbi 

Partnership Coordinator 

Bill Omondi 

Communications Coordinator (Web) 

Madison Hall 

Communications Coordinator (Social) 

Muzna Dureid 

Advocacy and Partnerships Manager (left in December 2025) 

We extend thanks to all consultants and advisors including: 

Lynne Twist, Sara Vetter, Magnes Welsh, Hafsa Afailal, Maureen Prebinski, Olivers Keiss, Tania Principe, Rawan Yousef, Mariam Shahin, Kathy Terry, Nataly Méndez Valdez, Nataly Erazo, Nina Maria Mørk Hansen, Gloria Albert, Yasmina Benslimane. 

We appreciate our partners,

Your support enables women to be rooted in their communities and rising with radical love, carrying courage into conflict zones, confronting injustice, and building networks that endure. 

In 2025, together we’ve nurtured leadership, amplified voices, and created pathways for change. The stakes are higher than ever — and your partnership ensures that courageous women on the frontlines are not alone. 

We are Rooted & Rising: With Radical Love — and your support makes this possible.