My Voice, My Choice receives the Vigdis Prize for Women's Empowerment

The Slovenian grassroots movement My Voice, My Choice today received the Vigdís Prize for Women's Empowerment at a ceremonial event in Strasbourg. The award carries a cash prize of €60,000 and includes the artwork Kvika by Brynhildur Þorgeirsdóttir, crafted from Icelandic lava and glass.

My Voice, My Choice is a grassroots movement advocating for women's bodily autonomy and equal access to abortion services. The organization has had a considerable impact on developments within the European Parliament and has already gathered 1.2 million signatures in support of its cause.

The prize is a joint initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Government of Iceland. Its purpose is to recognize individuals, institutions, or organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the empowerment of women. Particular consideration is given to initiatives that promote gender equality, increase women's participation in society, or raise awareness of gender-based inequalities and encourage meaningful change.

A total of 300 applications were submitted to the prize selection committee, of which 100 met the eligibility criteria. In addition to My Voice, My Choice, two other initiatives were shortlisted.

One of these was SASANE, a Nepalese organization run by survivors of human trafficking and sexual violence. The organization trains women who have experienced violence in legal advocacy and support. It has contributed to 1,500 legal cases and helped rescue 238 women and girls. The other shortlisted organization was the Girl Child Counselling Women Group from Kenya. The organization supports children, girls, and young mothers living with HIV/AIDS and facing extreme poverty, helping to prevent human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

This is the third time the prize has been awarded. It was first presented in 2024 to the Greek grassroots organization Irida Women's Center in recognition of its work combating poverty, social isolation, and gender-based violence. Last year, the Palestinian organization Women of the Sun received the award for its efforts to empower Palestinian women.