Advancing women’s rights inclusive of research, policy and practice
GBV & Digital Safety Specialist. Researcher. Policy Consultant
What I Do
I work where women’s rights frameworks meet the hardest realities:
fragile settings, marginalised communities, and the gaps where implementation breaks down.
Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG)
Violence against women and girls is preventable. I work at the intersection of prevention, response, advocacy, and community engagement to dismantle the systems that enable gender-based violence, including in humanitarian settings. My work is driven by a simple goal: a world where every woman and girl lives free from fear, harm, and discrimination. That means everything from survivor-centred responses to stronger legal and institutional frameworks.
Gender Responsive Health Programming
Sexual and reproductive health is a fundamental human right, not a privilege. Through advocacy, programme design, and capacity building, I work to ensure that all women, including women and girls with disabilities, can access the information, services, and rights they deserve. My approach is rights-based, centring dignity, autonomy, and informed choice.
Policy Development
Effective policy is what makes change sustainable. I design, review, and influence policies that are evidence-based, inclusive, and responsive to marginalised communities. My work is grounded in research and translates complex realities into actionable frameworks that drive equitable outcomes.
Disability Inclusion
Inclusion is not complete without the full, active, and meaningful participation of women with disabilities. I integrate disability-inclusive principles across everything I do so that systems, spaces, and services leave no one behind. My approach is rooted in the social model of disability and guided by the voices of those with lived experience.
Leadership
I bring a collaborative, values-driven approach to leadership: building teams, mentoring emerging professionals, and steering organisations toward greater impact. I am committed to inclusive leadership that uplifts others and drives meaningful, lasting change.
Hello, I'm Leonè.
I am a GBV and digital rights specialist with deep expertise across violence against women and girls (VAWG), gender responsive health programming, disability inclusion, and humanitarian response.
My work has been delivered at the African continental level, spanning programming, strategy, applied research, and advocacy. What sets it apart is a commitment to operationalisation, ensuring that women’s rights are not only articulated in policy documents but realised in the fragile and emergency settings where the need is greatest and the implementation gaps most acute.
I believe sustainable change depends on more than frameworks. It depends on the people who carry them forward. Alongside my research and advocacy, I mentor the next generation of African women’s rights leaders across law, gender responsive health programming, and academia because lasting progress is built through succession and knowledge transfer, not single efforts.
Background & Recognition
A Canon Collins Scholar, African Change Makers Fellow, and Global Gender and Health Equity Advisor, I am co-founder of SRHR Network Africa and a former Humanitarian Settings Taskforce Lead for the African Coalition on Menstrual Health Management. I have served as a judge for the Diana Award and as an application reader for the Mandela Washington Fellowship.
Let's build what works
If you need policy expertise, research, advocacy strategy, or guidance on delivering women’s rights programming in complex settings, I’d welcome the conversation.