Meaza Ashenafi

Founder of Ethiopia's first children's rights law firm, championing legal protection for vulnerable youth

Meaza Ashenafi (born 1958) is a pioneering Ethiopian lawyer and human rights advocate who founded the country's first legal aid organization focused exclusively on children's rights. Her work has transformed the lives of thousands of marginalized youth in Ethiopia and across Africa.

After graduating top of her law class in 1984, Ashenafi became dismayed by the lack of legal protections for children. In 1994, she established The Ethiopian Human Rights Project (EHRC), which evolved into the continent's largest legal aid network for children. The organization has handled over 10,000 cases involving child labor, trafficking, and sexual abuse, securing landmark rulings that expanded children's rights under Ethiopian law.

Her 2006 campaign led to Ethiopia's first juvenile justice system, reducing the imprisonment of minors by 70%. Ashenafi's concept of "child-friendly courts" inspired similar systems in Kenya and Uganda. She co-authored "Child Rights in Africa: Progress and Challenges", a foundational text used in 23 African universities.

In 2012, she launched the Children's Rights Initiative, training over 2,000 paralegals across East Africa. Her TEDx Talk "Voices of the Voiceless" highlights her work with street children in Addis Ababa. Ashenafi's 2020 report on child marriage in conflict zones influenced UNICEF's global policy revisions.

Recipient of the 2018 Right Livelihood Award, she continues advocating for children's rights through her blog Legal Eagles. Her recent focus is digital safety for children in Africa's growing tech sector.