The Institute for the Study of Human Rights congratulates Human Rights Advocate Marijana Savić on being named one of five female entrepreneurs to win the first WE Empower UN Sustainable Development Goals Challenge for their efforts on advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and advancing the position of women and girls in society.
Savić has worked for the past 20 years as a women and human rights activist in Serbia dedicated to supporting and assisting victims of trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence. “I believe that we, as individuals, are changing things. Nothing is beyond us. Some steps could be small, but when we look back, we realize that we made all those changes.”
Savić is the founder and director of ATINA - Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence. ATINA promotes women’s and children’s rights within the developing social and political environment of Serbia, specifically advocating for victims of trafficking, sexual abuse, labor exploitation, discrimination, and violence. Savić also launched Bagel Bejgl Shop, a social enterprise whose profits are used for programs of direct assistance to victims of human trafficking in Serbia.
Savić joined the Human Rights Advocates Program at Columbia University in 2018.
The WE Empower UN SDG Challenge is the first of its kind global business competition for women entrepreneurs who are advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals and inspiring entire communities to act to create the world we want by 2030. The WE Empower Challenge honors five women entrepreneurs, one from each of the five UN regions, who are advancing the SDGs through their business practices. The opportunity recognizes their innovative work, provides capacity-building training sessions and high-level advocacy opportunities to the awardees and ignites awareness about the valuable contribution women entrepreneurs can make toward the SDGs.
(Marijana Savić pictured far right.)
