Nabeela Iqbal

Founder and Director

Sisterhood Initiative

Nabeela Iqbal is a peacebuilder from Sri Lanka who works in women’s and minority rights. She is the Founder and Co-Director for “Sisterhood Initiative” which creates safe spaces for young women from minority communities – particularly Muslim women, to engage in discussions. In 2020, she was recognized for her work by Amnesty International and the UN Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth as a young human rights defender in the face of the pandemic. She is a global advisor to FRIDA – The Young Feminist Fund, and in 2023 was named a Changemaker by the Kofi Annan Foundation.

Event Schedule

DAY 1

18 July 2023

Start Time	End Time	Session	Description	Action
04:30 pm EEST	06:00 pm EEST	Co-Designing Gender Equality: The Role of Accountability in the Gender Equality Agenda Plenary KCC Auditorium	Watch the recording here Addressing gender gaps requires addressing accountability gaps. Despite numerous commitments to gender equality and women’s rights, Read More Watch the recording here Addressing gender gaps requires addressing accountability gaps. Despite numerous commitments to gender equality and women’s rights, implementation and delivery remain challenging, especially for grassroots, women’s rights, youth-led, and feminist organizations. This plenary examines accountability mechanisms to ensure financial resources reach feminist movements, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It explores whether these mechanisms prioritize civil society, girls, youth, and women. This plenary will provide a space for frankly discussing accountability and a platform for civil society organizations, youth, and grassroots activists to hold leaders accountable, identify gaps, celebrate successes, and generate solutions for a future where gender equality commitments are co-designed and co-accountable. Opening: Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Co-Founder of the Malala Fund Moderator and MC: Shahira Amin, Award winning Journalist and Former Deputy Head of Egypt’s Channel Nile TV Video: Melinda French Gates, Co-chair and Board Member of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Panel: Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta, Ambassador-at-Large for the Office of Global Women’s Issues Julisa Tambunan, Equal Measures 2030 Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, Global Advocacy Manager at Sightsavers Louise Holt, Director General of the Social Development Bureau at Global Affairs Canada Hon. Lynda Tabuya, Minister for Women, Child and Poverty Alleviation of Fiji Pauline Faith Gartor, Executive Director of the Girls Health Alliance Lightning Talks Wangechi Wachira, Executive Director, Center for Rights Education and Awareness (DfG Kenya) Shereen Bhan, Leadership Development & North America Director WomenLift Health Anika Dorothy Jenne, Amplify Girls Closing: Asenath Mwithigah, CEO of Orchid Project. Launch of the Africa Network to end FGM/C Nabeela Iqbal, Asia Network to End FGM/C, member from Sri Lanka Read Less Speakers Nabeela Iqbal Founder and Director Sisterhood Initiative Asenath Mwithigah Chief Executive Officer Orchid Project Wangechi Wachira Executive Director Centre for Rights Education and Awareness – CREAW Pauline Faith Gartor Youth Activist Youth Coalition for Sexual Reproductive Health Rights/ Girls Health Alliance Marci Ien Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Government of Canada Julisa Tambunan Deputy Executive Director Equal Measures 2030 Louise Holt Director General, Social Development, Global Issues and Development Global Affairs Canada Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame Global Advocacy Manager Sightsavers Malala Yousafzai Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Co-Founder Malala Fund