Nadia Al-Sakkaf

A Yemeni blogger and activist who pioneered digital journalism during the Arab Spring and advocates for women's education in conflict zones

Nadia Al-Sakkaf (b. 1982) emerged as a pivotal voice during Yemen's 2011 uprising, leveraging her blog Nancy's Notes to document events when traditional media was censored. As founder of Mawared for Development and Media, she created Yemen's first women's media network, training over 500 female journalists. Her Brookings Institution research on gender equality in conflict zones has influenced UN policy frameworks. In 2022 she launched the Yemeni Women's Leadership Academy, which now operates in partnership with MIT's Open Learning Initiative. Her 2023 TEDx talk "Rebuilding Yemen Through Women's Stories" has been translated into 15 languages. Al-Sakkaf's innovation lies in combining digital advocacy with on-the-ground training programs, exemplified by her Digital Diaries project that equipped rural women with smartphone journalism skills. Despite ongoing civil war, her organization maintains 14 community media hubs using solar-powered equipment, a model now replicated in Somalia and Sudan. Recent partnerships with UNESCO include developing Arabic-language curriculum for conflict reporting ethics.