In 1991, Harish Sadani answered an Indian newspaper advertisement that read, “Wanted: Men who believe that women are not for battering.” He was one of 205 men who responded to the ad, which had been posted by a prominent Indian journalist.

After a year of meetings with those like-minded men, Sadani decided to launch the nonprofit organization, Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA). It is the first men's organization in India to intervene directly against gender-based violence on women.

Susheela Bhan has saved hundreds of young lives. 

Fueled by a passion to restore humanity and faith in her war-torn homeland of Kashmir, Bhan established the Institute of Peace Research and Action (IPRA). The IPRA implements a comprehensive curriculum that inculcates democracy, secularism, social justice, and human rights into the hearts and minds of Kashmiri youth. The program is active in more than 200 schools in six districts, and has helped keep kids off the battlefield since 1999.

A woman is raped every 17 seconds in South Africa, according to estimates by Interpol, the international police organization. Through her program Girls and Football South Africa (SA), Jos Dirkx believes that teaching girls to have strength over their own bodies will decrease rates of pregnancy and HIV, give them knowledge about prevention and how to get help if they need it, and help them avoid trouble plus give them confidence not to blame themselves if they do become victims of sexual assault.

Stigma and disbelief prevent many of the victims from reporting rapes. Jos Dirkx, the founder of Girls and Football South Africa (SA), believes that South African girls will continue to be plagued by sexual assault, HIV/AIDS, and unwanted pregnancy as long as they lack support, accurate information, and confidence.  

Ruchira Gupta is a journalist, activist, and policymaker who has worked relentlessly for the past 25 years to end human trafficking and to empower some of the most marginalized girls and women in the world. She is best known for leading girls and women in prostitution to advocate for their own change though Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a community-based initiative in India that builds up the capacity of girls and women through small “self-help” group structures.