Hauwa Ibrahim is an internationally known human rights lawyer who was awarded the Sakharov prize in 2005, the same international peace prize awarded to Nelson Mandela. She defended over 150 cases involving women sentenced to death by stoning and children sentenced to amputation of limbs under Shariah law. Prior to launching her practice in 1996, she was a prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice in Bauchi State. Hauwa has taught at Harvard University, University of Rome and over a dozen Universities around the World. She has given speeches in over 30 cities globally as well as a TEDx talk at the Hague. She is the founder of the project, “Mothers Without Borders” which focuses on diverting youth from extremism. She seeks to offer young people an alternative to violence.

In 2014, President Jonathan of Nigeria invited her back to Nigeria to join efforts of rescuing the Chibok school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram. She was invited by His Royal Highness Prince Hassan Bin Talal of Jordon in 2015 and in 2017 she was invited by the acting President of Nigeria to assist with allegation of human rights abuses against the Nigerian Armed Forces. In 2018, Hauwa brought together over 70 dignitaries from around the globe to participate in a Conversation at Harvard University focused on expanding strategies for diverting youth from violence. Later in 2018, Hauwa organized the collection of goods to help meet some needs of the vulnerable among us. The shipment of a 40 ft container from Lincoln/Sudbury, Massachusetts to Abuja, Nigeria helped meet some needs of over 2000 men, women and children. Between July and August 2019, under Hauwa’s leadership, The Peace Institute collaborated with Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College to develop and implement Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) summer camps in Northern Nigeria. The goal of the project was to excite elementary school pupils’ interest in STEAM, The STEAM Project impacted over 1250 pupils from over 100 elementary schools.

Hauwa is a member of the groundbreaking Global Information and Democracy Commission, a panel of 25 prominent figures formed by Reporters without Borders in September 2018 to draft an International Declaration on Information and Democracy.

Hauwa Ibrahim comes from a small village in Northern Nigeria, Gombe. She was born into a culture that did not encourage schooling for girls beyond elementary school, but her mother permitted Ms. Ibrahim’s older sister to attend high school. Through sheer persistence and the gracious support of others, Ms. Ibrahim attended teachers’ high school for women, the local university in Jos, and continued to law school. She sees a way of empowering women and the best defense for those facing the greatest deprivation. She serves as a consultant to many human rights and non- governmental organizations.