Madam Bineta Diop, is, since 2014, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security.

She is the founder and president of Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), an international NGO founded in Switzerland in 1996, that seeks to foster, strengthen and promote the leadership role of women in conflict prevention, management and resolution in Africa.

In her role as the African Union Special Envoy for Women, Peace, and Security, Ms. Diop has been deeply committed to translating policies into tangible actions. She has focused on implementing accountability mechanisms and amplifying the voices of women, as well as fostering their leadership participation in peace processes.

Ms. Diop contributed in the shaping of Africa’s gender normative frameworks, such as the Maputo Protocol on Women’s Rights and the African Union Convention on Human Rights. This engagement led her to set up the Gender is My Agenda Action Network (GIMAC) to promote gender equality in Africa.

Ms. Diop has led several initiatives driven by women, notably the Empowering Women in Agriculture (EWA) program, which seeks to enhance the skills of women farmers and ensure equitable access to agricultural resources. Additionally, she has championed the establishment of the Pan African Centre for Gender, Peace, and Development (PAC). This center is devoted to strengthening the capacity of women and youth in gender, peacebuilding, and development, including the development of a Master’s Degree program on Gender and Peacebuilding in collaboration with the University Cheikh Anta Diop of Dakar and UPEACE of Costa Rica.

She co-convenes, the African Women’s Leaders Network, which comprises women elders, young women, and rural women, spanning 35 national chapters. Endorsed by the UN and AU, this movement aims to advance women’s leadership in the agendas for 2030 and 2063.

She studied International Relations and diplomacy and has received many honors and awards, including being named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2011. She holds special doctoral degrees from various institutions.

Ms. Bineta Diop’s passion and leadership have made a huge impact on women’s empowerment and peacebuilding in Africa and beyond.