The Anne Klein Women’s Award 2023 to Joumana Seif

Statement of the jury: The Anne Klein Women’s Award 2023

The Anne Klein Women’s Award 2023 goes to Joumana Seif, lawyer, a human and women‛s rights activist, born in 1970 in Damascus, Syria. She spent the past years living in forced exile in Berlin. Since 2001, she has been courageously active in her fight for and commitment to women’s rights. For her, women's rights are human rights. It is thanks to activists like her that sexualized violence has been classified as a systematically used weapon of war and that it can be legally prosecuted and sentenced in international proceedings as a crime against humanity.

The Award Ceremony

The Awardee

From a human rights defender to a women's rights activist

Portrait

Syrian lawyer Joumana Seif is the 2023 Anne Klein Women's Laureate. She strives for the political participation of women and the recognition of gender-based violence as a crime against humanity as well as its punishment. Kristin Helberg describes her journey from Damascus to Berlin.

By Kristin Helberg

Anne Klein Women's Award 2023 to Joumana Seif

Press Release

Anne Klein Women's Award 2023 to Joumana Seif, lawyer and co-founder of the Syrian Women's Network from Damascus, Syria

Lawyer Joumana Seif

Short Biography

Joumana Seif is a Syrian lawyer and a feminist. She is a legal advisor in International Crimes and Accountability program at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), with a particular focus on Syria and sexual and gender-based violence. She worked on the al-Khatib trial before the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz by closely supporting the survivors.

A German version of the texts can be found on boell.de

About the Anne Klein Women's Award

In honour of Anne Klein the Heinrich Böll Foundation has created the Anne Klein Women’s Award. Anne Klein, a dedicated lawyer and openly lesbian politician, has been a pioneer of feminist causes. She served as the first feminist Women’s Senator in Berlin’s state government. The prize is annually awarded to women who have shown exemplary commitment for making gender democracy a reality. The award is endowed with 10.000 €.

Contact
Ulrike Cichon
E-Mail: cichon@boell.de
Phone: +49 30 285 34-112