NYC Gazette

May 31, 2024

The City University of New York (CUNY) congratulates Leymah Gbowee, executive director of CUNY’s Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace. This week, she was selected by Melinda French Gates to distribute $20 million to charitable organizations and grassroots leaders advancing women’s health and well-being. Her selection is part of a $1 billion commitment to advancing women’s power globally. Gbowee, a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberian peace activist, co-founded the institute in 2023 as a joint initiative between Brooklyn College and CUNY School of Law.

The Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace brings together individuals impacted by crisis and conflict into the policy development process. This recognition of Gbowee by French Gates highlights the global impact of the public interest research and advocacy taking place at CUNY through its centers and institutes.

“We extend our congratulations to Leymah Gbowee on being recognized by Melinda French Gates for her steadfast advocacy for women’s rights through this transformational grant,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “We are proud to be hosts of the Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace at CUNY, contributing to the fight for gender justice that these funds will also support.”

“For too long, a lack of money has forced organizations fighting for women’s rights into a defensive posture while the enemies of progress play offense,” said Melinda French Gates, founder of Pivotal. “I want to help even the match.”

“We are honored that Leymah Gbowee’s visionary leadership and tireless advocacy have been recognized by Melinda French Gates,” said CUNY School of Law Dean Sudha Setty. “This is a testament to the groundbreaking work being done at CUNY to advance women’s rights and gender justice through research, education, and collaboration.”

“Leymah Gbowee’s work for gender justice has always been critically important, whether she was leading the peace movement in Liberia or serving as the executive director of the Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace,” said Brooklyn College President Michelle J. Anderson. “On behalf of everyone at Brooklyn College, I want to congratulate Leymah on receiving this transformative grant-making fund from Melinda French Gates to expand her critical work to advance women’s equality.”

“This is a wonderful chance to supercharge important work being championed by grassroots organizations advancing women’s health and well-being around the globe,” Leymah Gbowee recently said. “I have seen firsthand the impact we can have by investing in the voices, leadership, and movement-building capacity of women. I am honored that Melinda invited me to partner with her in this way and stand ready to see the good we can, and must do in these urgent times.”

Gbowee is also the founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa. She is one of 12 global leaders entrusted with distributing a total of $240 million in funds. She joins other notable recipients including former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; filmmaker Ava DuVernay; and Olympic athlete Allyson Felix.

The Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace serves as a hub for cross-sectoral organizing, research, scholarship aimed at advancing rights-based approaches to national/international law/policy including peace/transitional justice processes/reconstruction/human rights mechanisms.

CUNY is an urban public university founded in 1847 as America’s first free public higher education institution with seven community colleges/11 senior colleges/seven graduate/professional institutions across NYC's five boroughs serving over 225K students awarding 50K degrees annually.

More than 80% stay/contribute economically/civically/culturally diversifying NYC's workforce every sector while its graduates/faculty received prestigious honors:13 Nobel Prizes/26 MacArthur "Genius" Grants continuing historic mission: provide first-rate public education regardless means/background.

To learn more about CUNY visit https://www.cuny.edu.