Meaza Ashenafi Mengistu
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Meaza Ashenafi Mengistu pioneers women's legal rights and financial inclusion in Ethiopia while raising two daughters who benefit from the pathways she's cleared, showing them that justice, especially financial justice, requires both recognition of wrongs and creation of remedies. We honour her for the laws reformed alongside boundaries established at home, and the constitutional contributions balanced with family constitutions of values. We love how her most important case is the one made for the unlimited potential of her children and those of mums like her.
Profile
Meaza Ashenafi Mengistu is a renowned women’s rights advocate, she co-founded the Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) and established Enat Bank, Ethiopia’s first women-focused financial institution. Throughout her career, she has worked to reform discriminatory laws, notably contributing to the drafting of Ethiopia’s constitution in 1993. She previously served as a judge on the Federal High Court Criminal Bench and has received numerous accolades for her contributions to human rights and legal reform, including the Hunger Project African Leadership Prize in 2003. Born in Assosa, Ethiopia, Meaza was raised in a household that valued education and integrity. She was the only woman in her law school class at Addis Ababa University, a challenge that strengthened her resolve to advocate for justice. Her international training in human rights further fueled her dedication to legal reform. She credits much of her success to teamwork and the unwavering support of her husband, Dr. Araya Asfaw, a professor of physics, and their two daughters, Mena and Senait. As a mother, she continues to champion equality, ensuring that future generations of Ethiopian women have access to justice and opportunity.