Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi has won the overall prize of the 2019 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, in recognition of her efforts to end sexual violence at a ceremony at the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London.
She also emerged the Commonwealth Youth Awards regional winner for Africa and Europe, with her project focus on Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality.
Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi and three other exceptional young people from India, the Solomon Islands and Saint Lucia also won prizes and received a £12,000 grant for their innovative projects.
A survivor of sexual violence herself, Osowobi set up the ‘Stand to End Rape’ initiative to offer support to women, men and young people who have experienced any form of gender-based abuse in Nigeria.
STER trains healthcare workers on how to deal with survivors and provides them with free health kits such as HIV tests.
Speaking at the awards, Osowobi said:
“I dream of a future where this work is not required. I dream of the day when sexual violence is completely eradicated from this world.”
