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#IWD2023: Protecting Health & Human Rights for All

Written By Drew Precious

March 7, 2023

According to data published by UNICEF in 2022, over one in four young women give birth before age 18 in sub-Saharan Africa. While no place in our world is immune to misinformation or limits in access to healthcare, this reality introduces an urgent need for the protection and communication of human rights across the African continent.

Nerima Were, a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumna, is committed to protecting health and human rights for all people in Kenya and beyond. She has worked alongside a team of nearly two dozen lawyers, communication experts, and program managers at KELIN (Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS) for about a decade. Before coming to the Presidential Precinct, Nerima volunteered with KELIN as a pro-bono lawyer. From there she worked as program officer and program manager. And most recently, Nerima has taken on the role of Acting Executive Director – stepping in to lead the NGO through a critical and stabilizing season of post-pandemic reflection and growth.

Nerima networking with guest at our 2018 Fellowship Institute Opening Ceremony

From Nerima’s recent announcement on LinkedIn: “I look forward to the opportunity to learn and grow in my leadership, provide strategic guidance and direction, positively impact the field of health and human rights, and contribute to a culture of excellence in human rights programming.”

Highlights of KELIN’s recent strategic plan include a renewed focus on the digital health space, which Nerima believes has the potential to bridge a lot of inequalities, ultimately improving access to accurate information. Speaking on the gap in regulating misinformation online, Nerima explained: “What is an ethical requirement won’t necessarily lead to a legal obligation where I can hold anyone accountable.” Nerima will continue to lead KELIN through fruitful partnerships with the Ministry of Health in Kenya while also expanding the organization’s work regionally and globally.

Nerima participated in a #MWFLive panel at James Madison’s Montpelier

Nerima proudly sees herself as a feminist leader who is “cognizant of privilege and reliance” on her entire team, something that motivates her to “limit hierarchies” and “elevate the faces of people doing the work”. As we celebrate International Women’s Day through Nerima’s story, she has summarized three key priorities for all leaders to consider in their own contexts:

Leave space to focus on your own personal growth and leadership philosophy
Illustrate a clear vision for the team you are leading
Do everything you can to ensure a symbiotic and inclusive work environment

“I hadn’t yet conceptualized what being a leader in my field looked like before I came to the Presidential Precinct,” Nerima reflected. Foremost in shaping her vision were other 2018 Mandela Washington Fellows, many of whom she remains in regular contact with today. “Civic leadership is really diverse across the world”, she continued, “you can pick up so much from different country contexts.” Nerima’s 2018 Fellowship cohort represented 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

We are proud to honor Nerima’s example of humility and service in leadership. Her story and KELIN’s priorities offer a clear illustration of the #IWD2023 theme – #EmbraceEquity.

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Learn more about International Women’s Day and find relevant resources here on the campaign website: https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

The Mandela Washington Fellowship is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by IREX. For more information about the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit mandelawashingtonfellowship.org and join the conversation at #YALI2023.