Gender Based Violence Plenary: How do we prevent the physical, sexual, and mental abuse of women and girls?
Hear from our inspirational delegate speakers
Speakers
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Thomas Kingsley Justice LebbieHead of ProgrammesThomas Kingsley Justice Lebbie
Head of Programmes
Thomas is a Sierra Leonean researcher, social worker, feminist, and disability-inclusive development professional with over nine years of experience. My expertise spans gender inclusion, child protection, Health system strengthening, sustainable peacebuilding, and inclusive governance. I specialize in policy decision-making, strategy formulation, advocacy, and youth empowerment, focusing on women, girls, and persons with disabilities.
Advocating for gender equality and disability inclusive development has been an incredibly part of my journey. Like most Sierra Leonean young professionals, I started my advocacy journey since 2011. Personally, through my work, I have met with Girls and young women, persons with disabilities and Youths from different backgrounds and believes that have been restricted by the social, traditional and or religious norms and society’s expectations. Not only that I have worked with them but also together we are gradually overcoming discriminatory practices in communities.
Currently, I serve as the Head of Programs at the Welfare Society Disabled Sierra Leone (The leading disability led NGO in Sierra Leone) and the President of the Mano River Youth Network (A regional youth network). I also manage my own multimedia company and consultancy firm.
As a result-oriented leader, I possess strong planning, organizational, and cross-cultural communication skills. I have advanced expertise in data analysis, partnership building, mentoring, and facilitation, allowing him to work effectively across diverse environments.
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Allison ChoongGirls' Rights ActivistAllison Choong
Girls' Rights Activist
Allison Choong is a dedicated girls’ rights advocate from Penang, Malaysia, passionate about empowering young voices. She is a writer for UNICEF Malaysia, serves on the Board of Directors of Girl Rising, and is a Junior Board Member of Riley’s Way. She is also the illustrator and co-author of Safiya Speaks Up, a children’s book available in four languages, accompanied by a mentor’s guide that helps readers understand sexual violence and trauma. Recognised as a 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree in Social Impact and a 2025 Canon Young Champion, Allison has shared her insights as a youth activist at global forums, advocating for the rights, voices, and resilience of young girls.
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Naomi KoinaseFounder and Executive DirectorNaomi Koinase
Founder and Executive Director
Naomi Emanuel Koinase is an Indigenous Maasai leader from Northern Tanzania with expertise in education, gender and community development. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the OMOM Maasai Community Foundation, a grassroots organization expanding access to quality education and leadership opportunities for Indigenous Maasai girls.
The first person from her village to graduate from university, Naomi survived child marriage and transformed her experience into a lifelong mission: ensuring that no girl is forced to choose between education and tradition. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Governance and Development and a Master's degree in Gender and Development from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom as a Chevening Scholar.
Under her leadership, OMOM has reached more than 7,000 people across Northern Tanzania and supported over 500 Maasai girls through scholarships, safe housing, mentorship and educational resources. Naomi serves as a member of the UNESCO SDG 4 Youth and Student Network, where she advocates for mother-tongue and multilingual education for Indigenous children and her work to preserve the Maa language has been recognized by UNESCO. Her leadership has also been recognized through the Trevor Noah Foundation Education Changemaker Award. She has represented the voices of Indigenous Maasai girls on global platforms, including the UN Women Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) and the Education World Forum. -
Praise NwankwoFounderPraise Nwankwo
Founder
Praise Chidiebube Nwankwo is a gender justice advocate and Founder of HerRise Foundation, a feminist nonprofit reaching over 20,000 women and girls across Nigeria through gender-based violence prevention, psychosocial safe spaces, and women’s leadership programming.
Raised in a rural slum in Ebonyi State, Nigeria, Praise built HerRise from her school allowance after surviving a life-threatening brain condition at seventeen, making a covenant that her life would be spent breaking the silence nobody broke for the women and girls around her. Under her leadership, HerRise has secured consecutive Ford Foundation grants, produced Nigeria’s first school GBV Club Manual, trained 163 teachers as GBV first responders, and launched the Young Women Leadership Fellowship.
She is a One Young World Ambassador 2026, a Global Fellow in Courage, a former UNICEF Generation Unlimited Young People’s Action Team Board Member, and a 2025 National Health Fellow of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health. She has represented Nigerian youth at the UN Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Qatar, and is a Fellow of Lagos Business School, YIAGA Africa, and Harvard Business School faculty’s Aspire Leadership Institute.
She does not just understand the communities she serves. She came from them.
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Francesca ProutAuthor, Producer, International Speaker and AdvocateFrancesca Prout
Author, Producer, International Speaker and Advocate