Buchra Belhaj Hmida

Country : Tunisia
Theme : human rights and gender equality
Brief : Buchra Belhaj Hmida is a pioneer of the feminist struggle and the defense of human rights and gender equality in Tunisia and the Arab world. A lawyer at the Court of Cassation and a former member of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (2014–2019), she has dedicated her life to the fight for women's empowerment, the protection of fundamental rights, and ensuring the independence of the judiciary. She served as president of the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and contributed to the founding of the Network of Women Politicians in the Arab Region, where she worked to amplify women's voices in politics and decision-making, and to support individual freedoms and legal equality, including in conflict zones. Known for her distinguished international presence and unwavering commitment to just causes, she has delivered lectures and presentations at international conferences and forums and has received prestigious awards in recognition of her ongoing activism, including the Anna Lindh Award for Civil Society in 2015, the Global Campaign Against Extremism and Intolerance Heroes Award, and the Fatima Fehri Award for Progressive Values. She played a pivotal role in drafting laws protecting women and combating gender-based violence, including Law 58 of 2017, and chaired the Committee on Individual Freedoms and Equality. Today, after an unfair trial that forced her to leave Tunisia and live in exile, Bochra Belhaj Hmida remains steadfast and committed to defending women's and human rights from outside her homeland.