African Women Who Fought for Civil Society

3 women in the archive worked for civil society. They came from different countries and different centuries, but each of them saw a wrong that others accepted and set out to change it. Read their stories to see how the same cause looked from very different lives.

3 women in the archive

Portrait of Ayo Obe, NigeriaModern

Ayo Obe

Nigeria · 1955–present

Nigerian lawyer and human rights activist; former President of the Civil Liberties Organisation. Advocate for rule of law, democracy, and civil liberties; prominent voice in Nigerian civil society.

Human rightsRule of law +2
Portrait of Hadiza Bala Usman, NigeriaModern

Hadiza Bala Usman

Nigeria · 1976–present

Nigerian activist and public servant; co-founder of Bring Back Our Girls and former MD of Nigerian Ports Authority. Advocate for accountability, transparency, and women in leadership.

GovernanceAccountability +2
Portrait of Hafsat Abiola, NigeriaModern

Hafsat Abiola

Nigeria · 1974–present

Human rights and democracy activist who founded the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) in honour of her mother. Advocates for women's political leadership and civil society.

DemocracyWomen's leadership +2