International Women's Day – 8 March 2025

International Women’s Day is a global movement recognising women’s rights as human rights, rooted in a rich history of resistance. The earliest recorded Women’s Day celebration dates back to 1909. Find a timeline here.

8 March is internationally recognised and celebrated annually as International Women’s Day. The 2025 theme, 'For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,' calls for accelerated action to achieve equal rights, power, and opportunities, envisioning a feminist future where no one is left behind. 

At the Wilberforce Institute, we recognise that women who are making a difference in their fields, homes, and communities are all around us.

This International Women's Day, we celebrate the women who have shaped our work, recognising their achievements and contributions. Since its inception, countless phenomenal women have contributed to the Institute in various capacities, driving progress in research, advocacy, and social change.

Today, we honour and celebrate them all for their dedication, impact, and invaluable contributions to the Institute, its communities, and society. Below are brief profiles of some of these women.

Dr Saphia Fleury is an expert in environmentally driven human migration, human rights, and climate change. She holds a PhD from the University of Hull, and her current research re-examines human rights crises through an environmental lens, exploring how climate, social, economic, and political factors contribute to displacement and human rights violations. She is particularly interested in Montserrat and Vietnam as case studies of environmentally driven migration.

Prior to her doctoral studies, she worked at Amnesty International, where she published several books on international human rights law and specialised in the Middle East and North Africa region and fair trials. She continues to advise Amnesty on human rights and climate change and co-edits the annual State of the World’s Human Rights report. Dr Fleury is also an Expert Reviewer for the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and has presented evidence to UK parliamentary select committees on human rights, migration, and climate change issues.

Dr Fleury draws inspiration from trailblazing women who have fought for human rights and environmental justice, including Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan environmental activist who led the Green Belt Movement, merging environmental justice with political rights.

Her research and advocacy align with this year’s theme. By highlighting the connections between climate change, migration, and human rights, she ensures that women and marginalised communities affected by environmental displacement are seen, heard, and protected.

Dr Alicia Heys is a Senior Lecturer in Modern Slavery at the Wilberforce Institute, University of Hull. She specialises in modern slavery policy, legal enforcement, agency, and representation. She holds a BSocSc and MA from the University of Manchester and a PhD from the University of Hull. Her research provides critical insights into the links between conflict and human trafficking, with particular expertise in the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.

In her book, From Conflict to Modern Slavery, she examines how conflict creates pathways to exploitation and trafficking. This work has been instrumental in informing law enforcement training and policymaking across Europe. As co-investigator for the AHRC-funded Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre, she oversees research on legal enforcement and policy reform, including a recent review of Section 45 of the Modern Slavery Act.

Beyond academia, Dr Heys is actively involved in anti-slavery initiatives. She chairs the Humber Modern Slavery Partnership, a strategic network of over 60 organisations working to combat modern slavery in the region. Through her research and advocacy, she ensures that survivors' rights and agency remain central to legal and policy discussions.

Her work reflects this year’s theme; by influencing policy, strengthening survivor protections, and educating the next generation of anti-slavery advocates, she is helping to build a world where women and girls are free from exploitation and are empowered to shape their futures.

Cristina Talens is an expert in ethical trading, sustainability, and supply chains, with over 20 years of experience in tackling human trafficking, labour exploitation, and corporate accountability. In 2000 she joined the UN Global Programme Against Trafficking and Smuggling of Human Beings, where she developed international programs targeting organised crime, trafficking, and forced labour.

She later transitioned to the private sector, where she advises businesses on ethical supply chains and corporate responsibility. She regularly conducts social audits and risk assessments for major UK supermarkets, ensuring compliance with the Modern Slavery Act and promoting fair and sustainable labour practices.

As founder and director of Source Climate Change Coffee, Cristina merges social justice with environmental sustainability. She supports coffee growers dedicated to reforestation and conservation. She speaks Spanish, French, and Catalan fluently and continues to advocate for businesses as a force for good.

Cristina draws inspiration from Gisèle Pelicot, a French survivor of mass rape who bravely took 50 men to trial and waived her right to anonymity. Pelicot’s powerful words, "It’s not for us to have shame—it’s for them," have motivated many survivors to speak out and seek justice.

Her work aligns with this year’s theme as she fights for ethical business practices that protect workers, including women and girls, from exploitation. Through policy advocacy, corporate engagement, and sustainability efforts, she champions human rights and economic empowerment on a global scale. Find out about her work with the Wilberforce Business Academy. 

Dr Ndiweteko Jennifer Nghishitende is a Namibian human rights lawyer, scholar, and advocate specialising in women’s and children’s rights, modern slavery, migration, and racial justice. She holds an LLB from the University of Namibia, an LLM in International Human Rights from Queen Mary, University of London, and a PhD in Criminology from the University of Hull. Her research explored women’s experiences after modern slavery, focusing on legal barriers, support systems, and belonging.

Her current research examines the lived experiences of Namibian returnees, shedding light on their challenges and resilience post-migration. She has extensive experience in human rights law and advocacy, previously serving as Chief Legal Officer at Namibia’s Office of the Ombudsman for Human Rights.

A committed anti-racism advocate, she frequently speaks on racial justice, decolonisation, and representation, including chairing the panel 'Voices of Power: Amplifying the Black Voice in Trauma' at the Museums Association Conference 2024. She teaches at the University of Hull across criminology and law, shaping the next generation of modern slavery and human rights advocates. She serves on the advisory board for Wilberforce House Museum, helping to ensure that museums reflect diverse histories and amplify marginalised voices.

Beyond academia, she is the founder and editor of African Queen’s Ink, a blog dedicated to amplifying the voices of African women and women of African descent through literature and storytelling. Her work aligns with this year’s International Women’s Day theme: by amplifying marginalised voices and advocating for social justice, she contributes to creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all women and girls.