Discover inspiring storytellers who will captivate you with their powerful narratives, sharing unique experiences and insights that spark imagination and ignite change
Monica Lanfranco is an Italian journalist, blogger, trainer and founder of the feminist quarterly “Marea” in 1994. She is the creator of the Radio Delle Donne podcast channel, has taught new media theory and technique at the University of Parma, and has been running the feminist training and seminar center, Altradimora, since 2008. Monica is also a book author, and her latest book, “Crescere uomini-le parole dei ragazzi su sessualità, pornografia, sessismo” (Growing up as a man: Teenagers’ words about sexuality, pornography and sexism), was published by Erickson in 2019.
Dr. Kalyani Menon-Sen is a feminist researcher and activist whose has been working for over twenty¬-five years on issues of women’s rights, particularly the impacts of neoliberal economic policies on women. She has contributed to critiques of economic policies and policy-making processes, and has been active in initiatives to build economic literacy for women workers and women farmers. She has written and campaigned on issues of violence against women, particularly state violence and its linkage with economic policies. She has researched and written on issues of safety, dignity and rights of women in the workplace and has supported a range of organisations in setting up systems for prevention and action on sexual harassment. Kalyani has a long association with UNDP and its gender mainstreaming journey. As a Gender At Work Associate, she has worked with UN agencies, think-tanks and research groups, development agencies, community groups and women’s movement organisations to design and facilitate action-learning initiatives and systems change processes.
Marta Lempart is a prominent Polish activist, lawyer, and journalist widely recognized for her tireless advocacy for women’s rights, particularly in the areas of reproductive justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights. She is one of the founding leaders of the Ogólnopolski Strajk Kobiet (All-Poland Women’s Strike), a grassroots feminist movement that gained international attention for its mass protests against restrictive abortion laws in Poland.
Lempart first entered public life as a civil servant under Poland’s former liberal administration and later worked in real estate development. Her activism, however, brought her to the forefront of national and international discussions on human rights. In 2018, she launched the #GirlsDoWybory campaign, aimed at increasing the participation and representation of women in local governance. She has also run for both local and European parliamentary elections, centering her campaigns on issues of gender equality, the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, and people with disabilities.
In 2020, during the height of nationwide protests against the tightening of abortion laws, Lempart became a global symbol of feminist resistance. Her outspoken stance and leadership were widely recognized, earning her a place on the Financial Times list of the world’s 20 most influential women.
Openly identifying as a lesbian, Lempart uses her platform to challenge systemic discrimination and advocate for a more inclusive society. Her social media presence and public statements continue to highlight critical issues affecting women’s health, safety, and autonomy in Poland and beyond.
Anne Pakoa is a prominent human rights advocate and development leader from Vanuatu, with over 22 years of experience in NGO management, research, advocacy, and policy development. She is the Founder and CEO of the Vanuatu Human Rights Coalition, as well as the Founder and Technical Advisor of Vanuatu Young Women for Change and Anne’s Community Health Services. Additionally, she serves as Co-Founder and Technical Advisor at the Vatu Mauri Consortium (VMC).
In her current role as Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at VMC, Ms. Pakoa contributes to strengthening organizational accountability and impact measurement. Throughout her career, she has served as an individual consultant and led numerous initiatives focused on gender equality, youth empowerment, and community health. Her leadership and tireless dedication have positioned her as a key figure in Vanuatu’s civil society and human rights landscape.
Kalis Mardiasih is a prominent Muslim writer and youth activist from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, known for her advocacy on diversity, gender equality, and progressive Islamic discourse. She is a regular opinion columnist for several leading digital media platforms, including detik.com, Indonesia’s largest online news outlet.
Kalis is a member of the Gusdurian National Network, a civil society movement inspired by the values and legacy of former Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, promoting pluralism, democracy, and social justice. She has also been active in various student and civil society organizations, including the Islamic Students Association in Surakarta, and is affiliated with Pengurus Besar Nahdlatul Ulama, one of Indonesia’s largest Islamic organizations.
Her work focuses on gender justice, religious tolerance, and youth empowerment. She writes extensively on women’s rights and religious perspectives in local newspapers and national online platforms and contributes to initiatives that advocate for the rights and welfare of women and children.
Kalis earned her degree from Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta and is the author of three widely-read books: Muslimah yang Diperdebatkan (2019), Hijrah Jangan Jauh-Jauh, Nanti Nyasar! (2019), and Sister Fillah, You’ll Never Be Alone (2020). Her writings, which blend Islamic thought with feminist perspectives, have resonated strongly with young Muslim audiences across Indonesia.
Professor of Literature and Gender at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia
Wening Udasmoro is Professor of Literature and Gender at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Indonesia. She received her PhD in Gender Studies from the University of Geneva, Switzerland in 2006. She obtained her Master’s degree in the same field from the same university. She is the Vice Rector of Education and Learning of UGM. She was the Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences of UGM (2016-2021), the Vice Dean of Academic and Student Affairs at the same faculty (2012-2016) and the Associate Director of Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies (2009-2012). Her main research interests are literature, gender issues, violence, identity politics, and critical discourse analysis.
Her recent articles include: Masculinities in Literary Works in Indonesia’s Post Conflict Ambon Island, in Kritika Kultura (2023), The Preservation of the Javanese Language in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, in Indonesian Journal of Geography (2023), Gendered Dynamics of Labour Force Participation in Insurgency and Ethno-Religious Conflict: The Cases of Aceh and Ambon in International Feminist Journal of Politics (2022), Indonesian Pencak Silat, a book chapter for UNESCO (2022), and The Transformation of Social Imaginary on Women Sexuality in Indonesian Literature from New Order to Reformasi Era in Journal of International Women Studies (2022).
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