Laila Yahaya

Executive Director

One Love Sisters, Ghana

Laila Yahaya (They/Them) is a Black, Queer, Muslim, feminist, and human rights activist who lives life as a political statement and creates intentional safe spaces to empower LGBTIQ+ folks to exercise and own agency against SGBV and other human rights violations. They have over seven years of experience in community development and activism in gender, sexual & reproductive health right, LGBT+ rights and environmental justice through art and feminism. Their work includes capacity strengthening on SRHR, human rights, safety and security, gender, intimate partner abuse, religion and sexuality, mental health and sexual abuse (SGBV).

Event Schedule

DAY 1

19 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
04:30 pm EEST	06:30 pm EEST	Prevention, Support and Accountability: Combatting Sexual Violence in West Africa Concurrent Room MH 1-1	The session will be structured as a round table panel discussion. The moderator will facilitate a 50-minute exchange of knowledge and varied perspectives with the goal Read More The session will be structured as a round table panel discussion. The moderator will facilitate a 50-minute exchange of knowledge and varied perspectives with the goal of understanding emerging contextual shifts around the drivers, prevalence and impact of sexual violence on women, girls and gender-diverse persons in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal. This session will also spotlight the best practices around resourcing, innovations and partnerships through initiatives — such as the KASA! Initiative which is an anti-sexual violence resource collaborative between FORD Foundation, AWDF and the Open Society Initiative West Africa. A 30-minute session for questions and answers will follow to engage participants in further deepening reflections around improved resourcing, innovations and partnerships to end sexual violence, and close with 10 minutes of networking and connecting between participants. Session format: Thought leadership Organized by African Women Development Fund & Ford Foundation Read Less Speakers Khadijah Abdul-Samed Communications and Gender Officer Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency Vivour Adeniyi Titilola Moira Nkiru Executive Secretary Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Laila Yahaya Executive Director One Love Sisters, Ghana Maimouna YADE Executive Director JGEN Senegal Women Global Entrepreneurship Pontso Mafethe Director of Programmes African Women's Development Fund OLUFUNKE BARUWA Regional Program Officer: Gender, Racial & Ethnic Justice The Ford Foundation