Dr Anita Nyanjong honoured with BOBEA Community Leadership Award for championing women's rights across Africa

The award celebrates more than 17 years of dedicated service championing gender equality, access to justice, adolescent girls' empowerment, reproductive justice and feminist leadership. 

It also recognises Dr Nyanjong's transformative work in legal reform, policy advocacy, education and grassroots empowerment, cementing her place among Africa's leading voices for equality and inclusive development.

Throughout her career, Dr Nyanjong has worked at the intersection of law, policy, philanthropy and grassroots activism, helping shape solutions that improve the lives of women and girls across the continent.

One of her landmark achievements was developing Kenya's first Judicial Bench Book on Human Trafficking, a pioneering resource that continues to guide judicial officers in handling trafficking cases and strengthening access to justice for survivors.

She has also played a leading role in influencing policies and programmes on child marriage, sexual and reproductive health and rights, youth leadership, and women's empowerment through her work with national institutions and international organisations across Africa.

Dr Nyanjong is the Founder and Chair of the Let Girls Learn Initiative (LGLI), a Kenyan organisation committed to empowering adolescent girls through education, leadership development and community-based advocacy. Through the initiative, she has mobilised partnerships and resources that support locally led solutions while strengthening the voices of women and girls in shaping decisions that affect their lives.

An accomplished scholar, Dr Nyanjong's doctoral research explores African feminist approaches to justice, challenging conventional legal thinking and amplifying the lived experiences of rural women. Her work continues to bridge academic scholarship with practical action, influencing policy, philanthropy and legal reform across the continent.

Reflecting on the recognition, Dr. Nyanjong said:

"I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition. I accept it on behalf of the many women, girls, colleagues, mentors, and communities who have walked this journey with me. My work has always been driven by the belief that every woman and every girl deserves the opportunity to live with dignity, exercise her rights, and realise her full potential. When we invest in women and girls, we strengthen families, communities, and nations. This award encourages me to continue pushing for systems that are more just, inclusive, and responsive to the realities women and girls face every day."

Over the past two decades, Dr Nyanjong has built a reputation as a trusted leader who connects grassroots realities with national, regional and global decision-making. Her leadership has contributed to legal reforms, judicial education, movement building, strategic philanthropy and innovative partnerships that place women and girls at the centre of sustainable development.

As Africa continues to navigate complex social and economic challenges, Dr Nyanjong believes investing in women's leadership and girls' empowerment is essential to achieving lasting progress.

"The future of our continent will be shaped by how boldly we invest in women and girls today. Their leadership, ideas, and resilience are not only critical to achieving gender equality—they are fundamental to Africa's social and economic transformation."

The BOBEA Community Leadership Award recognises individuals whose leadership has created lasting social impact and inspired positive change within their communities. For Dr. Nyanjong, the honour serves as both a recognition of past achievements and a renewed commitment to advancing justice, equality and opportunity for women and girls across Africa.

Who is Dr. Anita Nyanjong

Dr. Anita Nyanjong is a Kenyan human rights lawyer, feminist leader, scholar and international development expert with more than 17 years of experience advancing women's rights, adolescent girls' empowerment, access to justice, reproductive justice and legal reform across Africa.

She is the Founder and Chair of the Let Girls Learn Initiative and has held senior leadership positions with leading international organisations, including Ipas, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, Equality Now, the International Commission of Jurists–Kenya and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation.

Her contributions include developing Kenya's first Judicial Bench Book on Human Trafficking, supporting legal and policy reforms across Africa, mobilising strategic investments for women and girls, and advancing African feminist scholarship through her research on justice and legal pluralism. 

She is widely recognised for building bridges between communities, governments, philanthropy and social movements to create lasting change for women and girls.