Womankind Worldwide welcomes new leadership to continue driving progressive feminist work

We are pleased to announce the appointments of Disha Sughand and Diana Njuguna as the new Co-CEOs of Womankind Worldwide. They will officially step into their roles on 3 June 2024.

Womankind recognizes this as a pivotal moment of demonstrating the power of transformative feminist co-leadership particularly in line with our core values: sharing power and decolonise our practice where one of the Co-CEO’s- Disha is based in the UK with Diana based in Kenya. This new feminist co-leadership journey is expected to foster feminist leadership principles such as equity, intersectionality and collaborative decision making.

Disha has worked with Womankind for the past 13 years and served in various capacities such as interim Co-CEO and Director of Fundraising and Marketing. As a feminist, she’s committed to social justice having spent the last 24 years leading change in women’s rights, racial justice, mental health, homelessness and refugee rights. She continues to steward this progressive work as Co-Chair of Gender and Development Network to build a more feminist and anti-racist UK international development sector.

‘’I want to make this co-leadership a real success and learning opportunity for Womankind and my counterpart Co-CEO, Diana. I look forward to harnessing my leadership style of working collaboratively, striving for change and acting with humility to ensure that Womankind lives its values by being more partner centred and valuing our diverse staff and trustees. I see the organisation staying committed by using its position to influence funders and grow an aligned supporter base through our new bold ambitious 2030 strategy.’’ says Disha about her new role.

Diana is a seasoned feminist leader and scientist whose experience spans across various industries including the international development sector and luxury sector. In international development which sits at the helm of her career trajectory she’s worked in education, health and the criminal justice system with organisations such as Akili Dada, AMREF and the International Justice Mission. Currently serving in strategic governance as a member of the board of the Impertimus Education Investment, she’s committed to youth empowerment with a focus on young women and the creation of just and fair societies.

‘’I am excited to take up this new role as Womankind Co-CEO to drive conversations around feminist trust-based philanthropy, the power of lived experiences from an intersectional lens and dismantling power dynamics that continue to prevent grass-root organisations from taking up their rightful place in the movements,’’ she says.

‘’We are very excited to have Diana and Disha take up the roles of Co-CEOs at this critical juncture of the organisation. We have full faith in their feminist leadership to lead in the delivery of our ambitious strategy in our pursuit of equality and freedom from violence.’’ says Olga and Lusungu, Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees.

We look forward to this new leadership that will take Womankind to the next level of collective liberation particularly in creating a promising future for women, girls and persons of all genders. This journey has been inspired by fellow feminist organisations with co-leadership models. Diana’s and Disha’s appointments follows the departure of Caroline Haworth, Womankind’s former CEO, whose leadership for the past eight years was core in progressive transformation and laying the foundation of the 2030 feminist future strategy.

We’d like to extend a special gratitude to Dinah Musindarwezo, Sarah Masters and Disha Sughand who took up the interim Co-CEOs leadership roles for one year during this transition period.

For any press inquiries about this announcement, please contact Sally Akinyi, Communications Manager, Womankind Worldwide: sallyg@womankind.org.uk