Geneva, 8 March 2026

 Following International Women’s Day 2026, the Martin Ennals Foundation highlights the courage and determination of women human rights defenders around the world through the stories of the 2025 Martin Ennals Award Laureate and Finalists. Their work reflects the growing leadership of women in the global struggle for justice, equality and accountability, often carried out in the face of intimidation, legal pressure and personal risk.

Across regions, women defenders continue to play a central role in challenging injustice and protecting fundamental freedoms. Yet they also face specific threats linked to their gender, including harassment, smear campaigns and reprisals for their activism. Recognising their work is therefore not only a matter of visibility but also a means of strengthening protection and international solidarity.

Ana Paula Gomes de Oliveira: Turning Personal Loss into Collective Action

The 2025 Martin Ennals Award Laureate, Brazilian human rights defender Ana Paula Gomes de Oliveira, transformed personal tragedy into sustained advocacy against police violence and systemic racism in Brazil. Her activism began in 2014 after her 19-year-old son, Johnatha, was shot in the back by a police officer while returning home in the favela of Manguinhos in Rio de Janeiro. Confronted with conflicting accounts of the killing and the absence of justice, she co-founded the collective Mães de Manguinhos (Mothers of Manguinhos).

The collective brings together families—many of them Black mothers—who have lost relatives to police violence and now advocate for truth, memory and justice. Over the past decade the movement has expanded beyond its community origins and become an influential voice in Brazil’s debate on accountability and racial justice. Today, as a member of the Network for Assistance to Victims of State Violence (RAAVE), Ana Paula Gomes de Oliveira continues to support affected families and raise awareness internationally, including at the United Nations.

The two 2025 Finalists further illustrate the diversity of women’s leadership in human rights defence.

Aloikin Praise Opoloje: Youth Mobilisation and Civic Engagement in Uganda

Aloikin Praise Opoloje, a Ugandan student and civic activist, has mobilised young people to address corruption, governance failures and social injustice. Through social media campaigns and peaceful protests—including the “March to Parliament”—she has called for greater transparency and accountability. In 2024 she established the WeThePeople movement, which promotes civic education and encourages young Ugandans to exercise their constitutional rights through non-violent participation.

Saadia Mosbah: Challenging Racism and Defending Equality in Tunisia

Saadia Mosbah, a Tunisian human rights defender and co-founder of the organisation Mnemty (“My Dream”), has been a leading voice against racism and racial discrimination in Tunisia. Her advocacy contributed to the adoption of Tunisia’s Anti-Racism Law in 2018 and helped advance national recognition of the country’s history of slavery. Despite the legitimacy of her work, she has faced sustained hostility and was arrested in May 2024 on contested charges. She remains in pre-trial detention.

Together, these three defenders illustrate the courage and resilience of women who continue to stand up for justice in challenging contexts.

Presented in Geneva and selected by a Jury composed of ten leading human rights organisations, the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders recognises individuals whose work is carried out under significant personal risk. By amplifying their voices internationally, the Award seeks to strengthen protection and solidarity for defenders worldwide.