An initiative advancing women's leadership and gender equality across countries has honoured a Kenyan human rights champion at its 2026 awards in Bangladesh.
Dr Anita Nyanjong received the International Human Rights Activist Award 2026 from the International Women Parliament during a ceremony in Dhaka.
The recognition acknowledges her work in advancing human rights, gender equality, access to justice and the protection of women and girls across Africa.
The awards were part of the third International Women Parliament and Iconic Women Award 2026 held on October 30 at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka.
The gathering brought together more than 200 participants from over 40 countries, including women leaders, parliamentarians, diplomats, professionals and entrepreneurs.
According to the organisers, the event provided a platform for women to exchange ideas, build international networks and discuss leadership, inclusion and opportunities for women.
The initiative operates under the motto “Of the Women, By the Women, For the Women” and seeks to advance gender equality and women's participation in different spheres of life.
Nyanjong is the inaugural Director of the Ipas Collaborative Fund, a global funding platform established to mobilise philanthropic resources for locally rooted organisations and movements advancing reproductive justice.
The fund combines financial support with technical expertise and partnerships to strengthen organisations working on reproductive rights and women's autonomy.
She also serves as President of Human Dignity, where she provides board leadership and governance oversight in support of the organisation's human rights and social justice work.
With more than 17 years of experience in human rights law, feminist leadership, philanthropy and international development, Nyanjong has worked on initiatives addressing inequalities affecting women and girls across Africa and beyond.
Among her contributions is leading the development of Kenya's first Judicial Bench Book on Trafficking in Persons, a resource designed to guide judicial officers handling human trafficking cases.
She has also worked with international organisations including Equality Now, the International Commission of Jurists-Kenya and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Nyanjong holds a PhD in Law from the University of Pretoria, where her research focused on African feminist approaches to justice.
Her work spans legal reform, policy advocacy, institutional strengthening and efforts to channel resources towards locally led organisations addressing challenges facing women and girls.
