Aya Chebbi is a Pan-African feminist and diplomat committed to the liberation of African women and girls. She rose to prominence as a voice for democracy and a political blogger during the 2010–2011 Tunisian Revolution, which toppled a 23-year dictatorship.
Building on this experience, she served as the first ever African Union Special Envoy on Youth and the youngest diplomat at the Chairperson’s Cabinet (2018 – 2021) where she impacted over one million youth. In 2024, she was appointed United Nations Global Champion on Conflict Related Sexual Violence and Youth Liaison to the Office of Special Representative and Under Secretary General. She has also gone on to serve on the World Refugee Council, Oxfam Independent Commission on Sexual Misconduct, Robert Bosch Stiftung Advisory, WHO Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, Council of the Africa Public Health Foundation among others which produced trailblazing reports in the humanitarian, health, gender and development fields.
She is the Founder of Nalafem, one of Africa’s largest multigenerational platforms of women who lead, shifting the power of convening, funding, and politics to female leadership.
Chebbi holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Tunis El Manar and an MA in African Politics from SOAS, University of London. She was a Fulbright Scholar at Georgia Southern University and took peacebuilding and leadership courses at Tufts and Columbia Universities.
Chebbi’s work has been recognised through the Bill and Melinda Gates Campaign Award and her inclusion among Forbes Africa’s 50 Most Powerful Women. She is a member of the BMW Responsible Leaders Hub, Rockefeller Bellagio fellows, Obama Leaders and Carter Center Elections Observers. She is also a podcaster and currently hosts DW Africa Link in Conversation with African leaders.
