Founder & CEO Fatou Baldeh MBE

Fatou holds an MSc in Sexual and Reproductive Health and a BSc in Health and Psychology from the UK. She has extensive experience in the area of Gender Justice and advocacy for the rights of women, girls and marginalised communities both in the UK and The Gambia. In recognition of her work with migrant communities and women who have experienced abuse in the UK, Her Majesty, the late Queen Elizabeth II, honoured Fatou with an MBE.

In 2018, Fatou moved back home and founded Women in Liberation & Leadership in The Gambia. She is a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and wants to eradicate all forms of abuse against women.

Between 2024-5 Fatou received multiple prestigious global accolades.

In 2024, she accepted the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award and the Geneva Summit Women's Rights Award, celebrating her leadership in defending human dignity.

Later that year, Fatou’s alma mater, The University of Wolverhampton, presented her with an honorary doctorate.

In early 2025, TIME named her one of their Women of the Year, and former U.S. President Barack Obama publicly recognised her efforts to end FGM on International Women’s Day. To mark the same occasion, Harvard University listed her as one of the 25 Extraordinary Women in the World, alongside leaders like Iceland's President and philanthropist Melinda French Gates. Former US First Lady Michelle Obama also supported Fatou on her Facebook page.

TIME then named her to the 2025 TIME100, its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. She was included in the “icons” category.