Bogaletch Belay

Abolished female genital mutilation in Ethiopia through grassroots activism

Bogaletch Belay (born 1954) is a visionary social entrepreneur who co-founded Kembatta Women's Self-Help Association in 1997 to combat female genital mutilation (FGM) in Ethiopia. A Harvard-trained economist, she developed a unique 'behavior change' model combining education with cultural dialogue that led to FGM abandonment in 2,500+ communities. Her work inspired Ethiopia's 2004 law banning FGM. Belay's 'Self-Help Groups' model has been replicated across Africa, empowering 150,000+ women in health, education and economic initiatives. In 2011, she co-founded ADDIS to address intersectional gender issues. Her memoir <《I Am Because We Are》 documents her journey. Belay received the 2019 Right Livelihood Award ('Alternative Nobel Prize') for her transformative work in women's rights.