The AJWS community has a lot to say about what's happening in the world. Read our insights about the struggle for justice and human rights around the globe — and meet the activists on the frontlines of the fight to build a better world.
At 73-years-old, Seynabou Male Cissé witnessed Senegal gain independence from French colonizers in 1960 — and then saw her home region of Casamance descend into armed conflict in 1982. True peace has been elusive in Casamance for decades. But Seynabou has devoted almost her entire life to making peace, freedom and justice a reality. After years as a teacher and activist, …
Last month, we brought you inside a gathering of nearly 1,000 women in Nairobi, feminists, activists, and providers devoting themselves to building societies that don’t control women’s lives. This month, we’ll focus on just one. Sixteen-year-old Nita Bhil lives in a small village in Kutch, a region in the farthest west reaches of India. Her …
Nita Bhil still remembers the moment she thought her whole life would fall apart. Her parents—bricklayers from a marginalized caste in India—had arranged a match for Nita’s sister. To save money, they’d decided to have Nita, their youngest of seven daughters, married off at the same time. She was 14 years old. “I was shocked; …
Inside a cinderblock structure at the center of Santa Elena Rio Salinas, a small farming village of Indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ Guatemalans on the border of Mexico, eight men have gathered to tell their stories. It’s late February, and the weather is warm and welcoming. But the meeting must be held indoors for the men’s safety — as they are …
When we decide what to include in Stories of Hope each month, we look for stories about activists and the work AJWS supports around the world that give all of us—our donors, staff, and grantees alike—a boost of optimism. As you know, fighting for human rights in 2026 is not an easy battle to wage. …
Women’s bodily autonomy is under attack around the world—reading headlines here in Kenya provides too many reminders of this fight. But last month in Nairobi, as I stood amidst hundreds of brave people standing up for our rights, I felt hope I hadn’t experienced in awhile. My name is Elizabeth Okumu, an AJWS program officer …
