Fatima Ahmed

A Sudanese women's rights activist leading non-violent protests against gender-based violence and systemic discrimination

Fatima Ahmed emerged as a pivotal figure in the Sudanese women's rights movement during the 2020 political upheavals. Through her organization Sudan Women United, she organized the historic 2021 sit-in protests that led to landmark legal reforms addressing sexual harassment. Her viral social media campaign #MyBodyMyChoice challenged restrictive laws and inspired global solidarity. In 2023, she co-founded the African Rights Initiative to empower grassroots women's groups across 15 countries through digital advocacy tools. Her TEDx talk Reclaiming Our Voices has been translated into 12 languages and viewed over 2 million times. Ahmed's work with UN Women in 2024 helped draft the first continent-wide protocol on gender-based violence prevention strategies.