The laureates

Siyabulela JENTILE is a South African human rights activist and social entrepreneur based in Johannesburg. In 2017, in response to the rise in gender-based violence and femicides in South Africa, he founded “Not In My Name International,” a movement that promotes social justice and develops advocacy initiatives aimed at combating gender inequalities. His work has focused on supporting and empowering victims of gender-based violence, as well as promoting new norms for the socialization of men and boys to reduce violence against women and children. His work has been recognized by the United Nations, which awarded him the Solidarity Prize. He has also participated in the “Obama Foundation Leaders Program” and the “Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders.”

Furthermore, alarmed by his research at the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences at the University of Pretoria—which showed a concerning decline in youth voter turnout since South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994—he founded the “Missing X Institute” in 2021. This independent organization promotes participatory democracy, research, and capacity building. Through this platform, he provides his research findings and policy advisory services to members of the South African Parliament, while also leading initiatives focused on community engagement and democratic participation.