Board of Directors

Board Committee: Membership

Organisation: NAPCAN

Zahra Al Hilaly is Manager of Social Policy and Campaigns at the National Association for Prevention of Child abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), where she leads Australia's largest child protection campaign and works to address national gaps in protecting child rights in Australian legislation. Her commitment to human rights, climate justice, and gender equality spans eight years of experience working at the intersection of policy and grassroots activism. Previously serving as CEO of Oaktree, Australia's largest youth-led international development organization, she led programs supporting young people across the Asia-Pacific region while building her expertise in amplifying marginalized voices. She has served on multiple boards including the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and Missing Perspectives, while currently being part of UN Women's Leaders Network. Internationally, Zahra consults for global organizations on issues ranging from UNFCCC climate negotiations to gender equality processes at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. She has been part of the CIVICUS Youth Action Team since February 2023, bringing experience in strategic leadership, coalition building, and collaborative governance. With a refugee background from Palestine and Iraq, she holds a Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of Communications (Journalism), and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. Her leadership has been recognized with honors including the 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 and Western Australia Young Person of the Year.

Board Chairperson and Chair of the Executive Committee

Organisation: The Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice

Stellah Bosire is a medical doctor, lawyer, and researcher who is a the Founding Executive Director of The Africa Center for Health Systems and Gender Justice, an organisation dedicated to pursuing equitable healthcare systems and gender justice in Africa. Her work focuses on addressing systemic issues faced by women, girls, and marginalized communities in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Economic Justice, and Climate Health. Her previous positions include Co-Executive Director of the East Africa Sexual Health and Rights Initiative, CEO of the Kenya Medical Association, and Vice-Chair of the HIV/AIDS Tribunal of Kenya. She is currently the Chairperson for Amnesty International Kenya; She also served as a Board Member of Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) and as an Advisory Board Member for Racism in Global Health. Stellah holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, a Master in Global Health, a Master in Healthcare Management, and a Bachelor of Law.

Board Committee: Operations

Organisation: International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Africa Program

Born in Zimbabwe to parents of Greek heritage, Irene was exposed to diverse cultures and viewpoints from an early age. Her interest in human rights, political transitions and the law as an instrument of change deepened on witnessing South Africa’s first democratic elections and constitutional reform process while studying at the University of Cape Town. She later pursued post-graduate studies in transitional justice as a Chevening scholar at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. Irene returned to Zimbabwe to practice law, mentored by human rights lawyers with distinguished track records representing both pre-Independence liberation struggle leaders, and those resisting authoritarianism in post-Independence Zimbabwe. Irene left a lucrative practice for the challenge of institutionalizing a dedicated group of volunteer human rights lawyers. Over 16 years (8 as executive director), the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights became a trusted safety net for civil society and rights defenders, while Irene learned how essential rule of law and an independent civil society is for democracy. Currently Irene leads the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law’s Africa program, defending and supporting civil society partners in more than 25 countries on the continent, and engaging governments, multilateral organizations and academic institutions to secure an enabling legal environment for civil society’s critical work. Irene is a recognized leader in Zimbabwe, with prior governance leadership in three major civic bodies - the Zimbabwe Election Support Network; Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum; and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition. She also previously served various regional networks including the SADC Lawyers Association.

Board Committee: Membership

Organisation: Young Advocates for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future

Blessing Ewa is the Executive Director and Founder of Young Advocates for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future (YASIF) Nigeria, where she leads a team of diverse groups of young people, overseeing and coordinating programmes on climate change adaptation and mitigation. Under YASIF, she leads the coordination of Project Waste-Free Communities, an initiative aimed at promoting a climate-conscious mindset in grassroots communities. reaching over 2,000 marginalised women affected by climate change, fostering behavioural changes towards plastic pollution, and contributing to sustaining livelihood opportunities through plastic recycling and upcycling, resulting in the evacuation of over 10,000 kilogrammes (kg) of plastic.

She is the Africa Coordinator for Net Zero As Soon As Possible (NZASAP), a workplace climate ambassador scheme that promotes climate action within workplaces across Africa, changing the narrative on the way businesses approach sustainability and environmental responsibility towards the 2060 agenda of achieving Net Zero. Additionally, she serves as the country coordinator for Nigeria with the International Association for Volunteer Leadership (IAVE) and the Global Network for Volunteer Leaders (GNVL). She is also an active member of the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) task force, an extension of the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), a multistakeholder forum at the World Economic Forum that aims to shape a more sustainable and inclusive world through the eradication of plastics.

Blessing Ewa is an engaged member of YOUNGO, the official children and youth constituency of the UNFCCC and holds a voting membership with Civicus Global Alliance. As a dedicated advocate of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she leverages her skills as a youth and community development expert to contribute to the growing demand for the SDGs while creating positive changes both at local and global levels.

Board Committee: Governance

Organisation: Umbrella Cerebral Palsy Network Association

Susan Sabano is a Program Officer at the Umbrella Cerebral Palsy Network Association in Uganda and a passionate disability rights advocate living with cerebral palsy. Her commitment to disability inclusion and social justice spans over five years of dedicated work focusing on economic empowerment and advocating for inclusive employment for individuals with disabilities in both formal and informal sectors. She earned a degree in Social Work from East Africa Polytechnic College, Kyambogo in Uganda, providing a solid foundation for her advocacy work. Through her significant initiative, the "12.4% to Work" project, Susan has facilitated stakeholder meetings with mainstream employers, successfully helping seventeen young professionals with disabilities secure jobs and training forty young people with cerebral palsy as model entrepreneurs. Her grassroots work has supported over 1,023 individuals across ten districts of Uganda in achieving self-employment and led to the establishment of fifteen Economic Support Groups. Susan serves on the board of Show Abilities Uganda and as African Representative for the Commonwealth Disabled Youth Forum, where she amplifies the voices of young people with disabilities across the Commonwealth. She is also a member of the CIVICUS Youth Action Team, engaging in governance and strategic planning efforts.

Vice Chairperson and Chair Governance Committee

Organisation: Global Focus

Mette Müller Kristensen is Executive Director of Global Focus, the Danish platform for civil society organisations engaged in international development cooperation. Her commitment to inclusive, feminist leadership and strategic alliance-building spans nearly two decades at the helm of several prominent civil society organisations. She holds a master's degree in African studies from the University of Copenhagen and spent several years in Mozambique leading international development projects, combining deep professional insight with human-centred leadership. As a strategic and visionary pioneer, Mette brings together organisations, politicians, and international actors around key development policy agendas, with particular expertise in strengthening the political presence and independence of civil society. Her work focuses on empowering global civil society to address challenges such as climate change, inequality, and human rights violations through international cooperation. She currently co-leads FORUS' working group on Shift the Power and has extensive experience with initiatives including the Digital Democracy Initiative and the Building Responses Together Network. Based in Denmark, Mette brings a unique network across various professions and perspectives, often activating these connections in unconventional ways to develop sustainable solutions that benefit diverse communities.

Board Committee: Membership

Organisation: Foundation for the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Luisa Rodríguez Táriba is founder and leader of the Foundation for the Fight Against Breast Cancer (FUNCAMAMA), which she established in 2002 to address women's health needs in Venezuela. Her commitment to promoting and defending women's right to health and life spans more than twenty years, during which FUNCAMAMA has provided diagnosis, treatment, and support to more than one million Venezuelan women affected by breast cancer. Her leadership extends beyond FUNCAMAMA, having been elected president of the civil association Red Sinergia in July 2023, a network that brings together various Venezuelan organisations dedicated to human rights defense and social development. Her academic training includes specialisations in social development project management, governance and public policy, negotiation and agreements, international health lobbying, patient rights, and corporate social responsibility. Through her advocacy work and public engagement, she emphasizes the importance of collective work in achieving common goals and has consolidated her position as a key figure in the fight for women's rights and health in Venezuela. Her commitment and leadership have been recognized in various spaces, reflecting her dedication to amplifying women's voices and advancing healthcare access in challenging political environments.

Board Committee: Membership

Organisation: Balkan Civil Society Development Network

Biljana Spasovska is Executive Director of the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN), where she leads a regional alliance protecting civic freedoms and strengthening democratic development across Southeast Europe. Her commitment to policy, advocacy, and community action spans over fifteen years of work at the intersection of local realities and global conversations. Under her leadership, BCSDN has become a trusted voice in EU enlargement policy and a regional driver of civic engagement, building cross-border alliances and countering authoritarian pushback. She has served as Co-Chair of the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness and as a member of the Global Standard for CSO Accountability, while representing civil society as an Honorary Member of the EU's European Economic and Social Committee. In 2024, she joined the Fisher Family Summer Fellows Program at Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. She holds an MA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Bologna and a BA in International Relations from the College for International and Public Relations in Prague. Based in the Western Balkans, a region that lies within Europe but outside the EU, Biljana's perspective is shaped by working across divides between institutions and communities, bringing both hands-on regional experience and a strong global perspective to democratic transformation efforts.

Board Committee: Governance

Organisation: Fundación Multitudes

Paulina Ibarra is an expert in gender policy, open government and human rights, with special emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean, and has more than 20 years of professional experience in her field. She worked at the World Bank on communication and development, and in the Open Government Partnership launched by President Barack Obama in 2011. She is currently a Vital Voices fellow, working to combat disinformation and political gender violence. Paulina has recently been appointed by the President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, to be part of the Commission Against Disinformation.

Paulina graduated with a Bachelor in Communication and Political Science from Marymount University, and holds a Master's in Communication from Georgetown University. She is currently the executive director of Fundación Multitudes, a member of CIVICUS, UNCAC and in 2016 she was elected a member of the External Consulting Group of the Independent Consultation and Investigation Mechanism of the Inter-American Development Bank. In 2018, she became the first elected chair of the International Steering Committee of the Community of Democracies.

More recently, she was selected to be part of the Summit for Democracy Steering Committee on Advancing Human Rights, as well as became a member of the Disinformation/Information Integrity and Women as a Prerequisite cohorts in the same instance. Additionally, she is a member of USAID's Women's Leadership Network and part of the Transform Program for the advancement of women in public life. She has been supporting the efforts of the World Wide Web Foundation Global Survey on Generation Equality and in her role in Multitudes she leads the Women's Observatory Against Disinformation, for which received an honorable mention at the World Justice Forum (2022) and at the Paris Peace Forum (2021). Recognized by multiple governments for her work on combating gender political disinformation, she has most recently participated at the 26th edition of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at the United Nations in Geneva, at the 67th Commission on the Status of Women at the UN (NY) on women and democracy, as well as in multiple commissions led by governments and multilaterals on the issue of gender and disinformation. Paulina also participated in the OECD Global Forum "Building trust and reinforcing democracy" in November 2022 in Luxembourg, and in May 2023, she was invited by the Government of Sweden to the Stockholm Internet Forum to speak on the issue of gender, democracy and disinformation. Most recently she joined the Foreign Feminist Policy

Network as a core member to support women's leadership, and was a panelist at the Vital Voices

Open Dialogue on Women’s Leadership (Venice, August 2023).

Treasurer and Chair Operations and Audit Committee

Organisation: Civic House, Wingu, Donar Online, Kubadili

Mario co-founded Civic House, an international non-profit organisation as a result of +12 years of working to strengthen Civic Society and understanding that lowering entry barriers to new innovators and leaders is a key factor. As CEO, he works closely with a team of 60 full-time professionals in 4 different countries where they have a mission to provide funding, innovation, strategic advice, infrastructure, global alliances and a vibrant community of social leaders and social start-ups. Their goal is to lead a real change in Latin American inequalitarian societies. Furthermore, organisations and initiatives that Mario has co-founded or lead as Executive Director have trained +40,000 people in Latin America, leveraged civic society’s impact through innovation and technology implementations to about 2,000 non-profits, helped +1,500 non-profits to raise +$45 million dollars, reduced tons of pounds of food waste and distributed among social kitchens, received +2 millions of dollars in grants and international cooperation (Hewlett Foundation, Omidyar Network, Google.org, etc) and supported 7 different social start-ups and helped them to scale, create their own sustainability models and become self-sustainable. In addition, Mario is President of the Non-Profit Technology Civil Association in Mexico, an organisation with the accreditation of Institutionality and Transparency from CEMEFI. He is also a member of the executive committees of Fundación Casa Cívica Colombia and Res Non Verba Asociación Civil in Argentina. With his more than 12 years of experience in technology and civil society, he has travelled through Latin America and his networks and achievements prove a young profile with a trajectory and drive to carry out the transformation that we want to see in civil society. Mario is also a benchmark in innovation and technology issues and has promoted the digital transformation of thousands of social organisations in the region as well as conceptualised and promoted spaces for horizontal collaboration.

Board Committee: Operations

Organisation: Independent Consultant

Sonia Kwami is a Campaigner and leader in development practice, who is passionate about working with and inspiring diverse groups of people to become change agents and challenge the injustices in society. She is currently the Africa Campaigns Director for the ONE Campaign. Over the past eighteen years she has successfully managed campaigns (online and offline) and supported CSOs and teams in over 60 countries particularly in the global south (Africa, Asia, South America, Caribbean and Pacific) through various roles in ONE, Oxfam, Walk Free and GCAP after a building a strong foundation at the national level in Ghana. Sonia also passionate about mobilising, equipping and inspiring Activists and young people to demand accountability and change from their governments and duty bearers. She also possesses first-hand experience in co-creating various initiatives, leading, organising and actively participating in CSO engagements at high level meetings at for a such as: G7/8 and 20 Summits, AU and UN lobby meetings, World bank / IMF meetings and various engagements around MDGs and SDGs etc. Sonia is a professional teacher by training and holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and an MA in Democracy, Governance Law and Development from the University of Cape Coast. She serves on three NGO Boards including, Board Chair of Challenging Heights, is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation in Ghana that works to protect children’s rights and end child trafficking.

Secretary and Chair Membership Committee

Organisation: Transparency International

Yi Kang (Choo) is currently the Programme Officer for Transparency International Defence & Security (TI-DS). He is responsible for enabling TI-DS to operate efficiently by delivering rigorous operational support across its global portfolio. Dedicated to the organisation’s mission to foster and promote global best practice on defence anti-corruption, he pushes for meaningful global reforms in a traditionally opaque and secretive sector.

Originally from Malaysia, he also brings in multi-sectoral expertise. As an avid youth advocate, he has been championing the welfare and meaningful engagement opportunities of young people globally. Some of the leadership roles he is currently undertaking include being a global Convocation Committee Member at Queen’s University Belfast; serving as a Board Member at SistersIn, a charity empowering girls’ development opportunity in Northern Ireland; and being a Future Voices Group Ambassador who advocates for better youth employment policies in the UK. He is also a long-time global ambassador at One Young World.

His journey with CIVICUS started since 2020 when he was appointed as one of the Youth Action Team (YAT) members. Here, they champion meaningful youth engagement practices across CIVICUS, and co-create innovative projects to highlight the work of young activists globally. One of Yi Kang’s proudest achievements thus far is when the YAT recently published a global research to highlight important trends of youth-led activism/movements, in which he had the opportunity to directly engage with inspiring young leaders and movements, especially across the Asia Pacific region.

Throughout his youth leadership journey, Yi Kang was awarded the International Student of the Year in Ireland and the Allstate NI Queen’s University Belfast Student of the Year in 2021; received the Diana Award, which is the most prestigious accolade a young person aged 9-25 can receive for their social action or humanitarian work; and was recently appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (FRSA) due to his positive social impact on communities around him.

Board Committee: Governance

Organisation: One Future Collective

Vandita Morarka is CEO and Founder of One Future Collective, a social justice organisation she established in 2017 motivated by a belief in the power of healing justice, community leadership, and fair institutions towards advancing social justice. Her commitment to queer feminist advocacy and human rights spans over a decade of work as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and policy advocate, during which she has provided direct support for over 50,000 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and nurtured leadership capacities in over 200,000 intergenerational feminists. At One Future Collective, she leads strategy, business development, fundraising, and programming, while her broader work encompasses political consulting, strategic philanthropy, policy-legal research and advocacy, and human rights strategic litigation. Her innovative models have been developed as research and case studies to support the work of other organisations, and she has accompanied more than 350 institutions towards becoming more just and equitable. She holds an MA in Development Studies as a Chevening Scholar from the Institute of Development Studies, MA Hons in Public Policy from University of Mumbai, LL.B. from Government Law College, and BA Hons in Economics and Political Science from Sophia College. Vandita is a fellow with Acumen, Change.org, WomenLift Health, and other prestigious organisations, while currently serving as an advisor to the Pleasure Project and as a trustee at Internet Freedom Foundation. Based in India, she previously served on the CIVICUS board from 2020-2023, contributing her expertise in building ecosystems where individual and group rights can thrive.