With over 30 years of experience dedicated to justice and human rights, Binaifer Nowrojee leads the Open Society Foundations into a new chapter as president of the organization. Raised in Kenya, Binaifer drew inspiration from her father’s career as a lawyer who defended those who suffered under the dictatorship of Daniel arap Moi. She spent 10 years of her career as a human rights researcher, working extensively in Rwanda to document the violence against women during the genocide. Her work led to the recognition that sexual violence can be a crime of genocide, an important legal precedent in international law. Her work for Open Society in Africa and Asia has driven meaningful change, and her lived experiences inform her vision for the future. “I find my greatest inspiration is from watching and meeting and seeing people who take incredible risks to actually speak out and stand up for what’s right.” #OpenSociety #BinaiferNowrojee #HumanRights
Open Society Foundations
Non-profit Organizations
New York, NY 227,204 followers
We work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens.
About us
The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their people. To achieve this mission, we give thousands of grants every year to groups and individuals in over 120 countries that work on the issues we focus on—promoting tolerance, transparency, and open debate. We also engage in strategic human rights litigation and impact investing, while incubating new ideas and engaging directly with governments and policymakers through advocacy to advance positive change. We seek to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights. We build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information. We place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities. The Open Society Foundations were founded by George Soros, one of the world’s foremost philanthropists, who since 1984 has given away $32 billion of a personal fortune made in the financial markets. Interested in learning more about our grants, scholarships and fellowships? Visit https://osf.to/grants. Interested in working for us? Visit https://osf.to/jobs for our open positions. Here on our LinkedIn page, we encourage comments and responses that add new information or value; that are clear, concise, and on-topic; and that are generous and constructive. We like questions and feedback, too! Community guidelines: http://osf.to/communityguidelines Privacy policy: http://osf.to/privacy
- Website
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http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org
External link for Open Society Foundations
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 1,001-5,000 employees
- Headquarters
- New York, NY
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1979
Locations
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Primary
224 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019, US
Employees at Open Society Foundations
Updates
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#WorldRefugeeDay is an ideal time to learn how to advocate and show solidarity with refugees and their rights, needs, and aspirations—especially as the right to seek asylum is under increasing attack worldwide.
World Refugee Day is a time to focus global attention on the rights, needs, and dreams of millions of refugees worldwide and to take meaningful action to support them. 🌐 This year, #WorldRefugeeDay is dedicated to showing solidarity with refugees and advocating for a world where they are truly welcomed. 💪🏽🔥 We believe this is a great opportunity to reflect on the vital role allies can play in making refugee rights a reality. Whether you are a long-time advocate or just starting to get involved, there are many ways to make a difference. 📣💥 Read our blog post to learn more about how you can become an effective ally for #refugees. https://lnkd.in/efe_dpw3 #WRD #RefugeeRights #RefugeeRightsAreHumanRights #WRD2024
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On Juneteenth, a commemoration of the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States, a look at a project that’s unearthing and honoring the names of those enslaved whose stories have so far gone untold. The (Un)Known Project by Soros Equality Fellows Hannah Drake and Josh Miller unearths and honors them through public art across the country. Share this video if you appreciate this work and want to spread the word: UnknownProjectTrail.com. #OpenSociety #Juneteenth #UnknownProject #History #Slavery
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Africans with albinism are fighting for their rights and inclusion against discrimination, exclusion, and even violence. Some are denied education. Others are discriminated and shunned by their own families. While still others are targets for kidnapping and violent attacks. People with albinism are showing that inclusion is strength by sharing their stories through music, holding fashion shows to counter stigma, and being leaders in human rights—among other forms of advocacy. Here are three things you should know on #InternationalAlbinismAwarenessDay. #OpenSociety #Albinism #HumanRights #Inclusion #AntiDiscrimination
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Russia has renewed its bombardment of Ukraine with intense ferocity, not seen since the early days of the full-scale invasion. Its missile strikes target civilians and critical infrastructure. This week, the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin must focus on strengthening Ukraine through a decentralized power grid, bolstering its democratic foundations, and more. Supporting Ukrainian resilience is essential to save innocent lives and protect global safety and security. Read more from Oleksandr Sushko, executive director of Open Society’s philanthropic arm in Ukraine, the International Renaissance Foundation: https://osf.to/3XkvFAG #OpenSociety #Ukraine #SocialJustice #UkraineRecoveryConference #Recovery #Rebuilding
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Stakes have rarely been higher for women’s political representation and participation in this super election year when half of the world’s population is voting, write our president Binaifer Nowrojee and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Women have been resisting regressive policies and authoritarianism worldwide. Raising the number of women elected to political leadership roles is also crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. “When women occupy positions of political leadership, they are more likely to emphasize the policies that are central to sustainable development – from ensuring that people have access to safe drinking water to providing affordable childcare,” they write. To these ends, we at Open Society have launched a new Women’s Political Leadership Fund to ensure bold women political leaders are the global norm; the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development (EJS Center)’s Amujae Initiative supports accomplished and aspiring women public leaders. SHARE if you think it’s time for more women in political leadership and read more about how to overcome the barriers to women in political life: https://osf.to/3VG1MJX #OpenSociety #WomensLeadership #Democracy #GenderEquality #FemaleLeaders #SDGs #SDG5 #AmujaeInitiative
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The first woman and the first person from the Global South to lead the organization, Binaifer Nowrojee became president of the Open Society Foundations on June 1. In a profile by the NationAfrica, she credits her parents with giving her confidence and credits her upbringing in Kenya with giving her good grounding. A pursuit for justice and human rights has been central to Binaifer’s career, from studying law in the United States, to working with rape survivors in Rwanda advocating to make sexual violence during conflict an international crime, to her 20+ years of working in key positions within Open Society. Share if Binaifer’s words resonate with you. Read more: https://osf.to/4cpjt63 #OpenSociety #BinaiferNowrojee #NewLeadership #HumanRights #Justice
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Neglect should not be the new normal. From Sudan to Burkina Faso to Honduras, the numbers of displaced people are rising, and there is a lack of political will, media attention, and funding to address these crises. Our partner Norwegian Refugee Council has released its annual Neglected Displacement Crises Report:
We’re here to tell you about the crises no-one talks about. Find out which are the world's most neglected displacement crises ⬇ https://lnkd.in/gM582Gwu
The world’s most neglected displacement crises in 2023
nrc.no
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A new Media Index for Africa that ranks how global influential news providers like the Guardian, Al-Jazeera, the New York Times, and Xinhua cover the continent highlights a need to tell more progressive narratives about Africa and tell the full story of a vibrant, dynamic, and evolving continent. “Africans can’t ignore the outsized influence these global media outlets have on how the world sees Africa and how Africa sees itself,” says Moky Makura, of Open Society grantee Africanofilter, one of the index’s partners whose mission is to shift these stereotypical narratives about Africa. #OpenSociety #GlobalMedia #Africa
Global Media Still Not Telling Africa's Full Story
opensocietyfoundations.org