The 25 nominees were chosen from an initial shortlist of 170 women, with selections being based on impact in four categories: climate, biodiversity, resources and the human factor. ChangeNOW and their ecosystem partners - UN Women, HeForShe, One Young World, SHE Changes Climate and Women in Tech – were responsible for the nominations, with women of all ages and backgrounds being considered. Nomination criteria included having a social or environmental mission, the concrete impact of a project and the ability to mobilise a community around a common goal. 

Women Shaping Our Future is a global digital campaign and is part of ChangeNOW’s Women for Change Initiative, which supports women making a difference in the world. It aims to draw attention to women changemakers, making them visible to the right people and giving them concrete opportunities to connect with those who can bring significant value to their projects. The campaign will run from 1st– 8th March on multiple digital platforms with selected nominees being showcased on ChangeNOW and its partners’ social media accounts.

The Women for Change initiative will be part of ChangeNOW 2023, taking place at the Grand Palais Ephémère in Paris, on 25-27th May. The programme this year will be about making sponsorship the new normal, giving women access to the resources they need to move up in their organisations and in public and global institutions, as well as helping their entrepreneurial projects to flourish. It will include keynote speeches and pitch sessions from changemakers in front of a 300-strong audience, including investors, corporates, media, policy makers and ecosystem leaders, with a dedicated networking session following the event.

Rose-May Lucotte, Co-Founder of ChangeNOW, said: “Our mission at ChangeNOW is to find concrete solutions and help them scale to create a better world. It also means knowing how to recognise those who embody the solution and set the course for generations to come. We are proud to celebrate the women tackling the biggest challenges of our century: meet these 25 inspiring women shaping our future and watch them thrive.”

All 25 nominees are listed below:

Climate

- Omnia El Omrani (Egypt): The first Youth Envoy to the President of COP27. 

- Joycelyn Longdon (UK): Founder of ClimateInColour, an online education platform and community aiming to make climate conversation more accessible and diverse.

- Rhiana Gunn-Wright (US): Climate Policy Director at American think tank, the Roosevelt Institute, leading research at the intersection of climate policy, public investment, public power, and racial equity.

- Tori Tsui (China, now based in the UK): Climate Activist and author of ‘It’s Not Just You’, a book about the link between climate change and mental health. 

- Adenike Oladosu (Nigeria): Climate activist and Conference Speaker fighting to address climate change in Africa.

- Kotchakorn Voraakhom (Thailand): CEO and Landscape architect for Koungkuey Design Initiative, which works on building public green spaces to increase urban resilience and protect communities from climate change.

- Heïdi Sevestre (France): Explorer and glaciologist working at AMAP (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme).

Biodiversity 

- Kat Bruce (UK): Tropical Ecologist and Founder of NatureMetrics, a tool that helps to measure biodiversity. 

- Sônia Guajajara (Brazil): Minister of Indigenous People in Brazil and climate activist from the Guajajara tribe.

- Zaya Guarani (Brazil): Model, conference speaker, activist, and indigenous rights and environmental advocate.

- Akilah Jaramogi (Trinidad and Tobago): Forester, Environmental Consultant, Social Entrepreneur and Cultural Activist, leading the Fondes Amandes Community Re-forestation Project (FACRP) in Trinidad.

- Ulrike Pfreundt (Germany, now based in Switzerland): Interdisciplinary ocean scientist and CEO of rrreefs, which rethinks, rebuilds, and regenerates coral reefs with a novel 3D-printed reef-system.

- Marine Calmet (France): Environmental Lawyer campaigning for the defense of nature’s rights.

Resources 

- Charmian Love (Canada, now based in the UK): Social entrepreneur, guiding the development of the Regenerative and Circular Economy Lab, which aims to accelerate the transition to a more circular economy.

- Liz Ricketts (US): American stylist and Founder of The OR Foundation, which aims to fight fast fashion. 

- Miranda Wang (China, now in US): Co-Founder of Novoloop, which aims to develop innovative ways of upcycling plastic waste.

- Rekik Bekele (Ethiopia): CEO of Green Scene Energy, a company that supplies affordable, high quality solar energy products to the off-grid rural areas of Ethiopia. 

- Julia Faure (France): Co-Founder of Loom, which produces sustainable and ethical clothes.

- Azadeh Farajpour Javazmi (Iran): Founder of betterSoil, a startup which aims to improve soil quality for climate resilience, climate protection and sustainable food production. 

- Charlot Magayi (Kenya): Founder of Mukuru Clean Stoves (MCS), which makes improved, efficient, and reliable cook stoves to help eradicate household air pollution. 

- Shriti Pandey (India): Founder of Strawcture Eco, which aims to reduce pollution by compressing crop waste into agrifiber panels for industrial and commercial builds.

Human Factor

- Alice Aedy (UK): CEO and documentary photographer for Earthrise, a creative studio dedicated to telling human stories about those on the frontlines of the climate and refugee crises.  

- Sarah Mardini (Syria, now based in Germany): Syrian former competition swimmer, lifeguard and human rights activist.
- Adaora Oramah (Nigeria): CEO of AMAKA Studio, a digital publishing platform for female, pan-African creatives to share, monetise and amplify their stories.
- Windi Muziasari (Indonesia, now based in Finland): Founder of Resistomap, which provides a complete laboratory and analysis service for environmental monitoring of antibiotic resistance.

For more information about the Women Shaping our Future campaign : 

• website : www.changenow.world/women-for-change-2023-campaign