Sofia Scarlat

What ignited your pursuit for gender equality?

As soon as the issues within my community — particularly gender-based violence and human trafficking — came to light as a teenager, I felt it was my responsibility to help tackle them as well. I didn't have a passion for gender equality as a child, but rather just an inability to turn a blind eye.

Please share your biggest wins as an advocate for gender equality.

I founded and am leading Romania's first and currently only gender equality organization for teenagers. I guided the team during the months following the infamous Caracal kidnapping, which sparked a long-awaited, larger discussion on gender-based violence and human trafficking across the country. After co-organizing a protest at that time, together we published a speech on gender inequality in Romania, which would later be read out on national news, in Parliament, and even reach the Romanian Royal Family. More recently, the organization has been working alongside local activists to track down and dismantle a Romanian revenge pornography/child pornography online network and to pressure representatives to strengthen legislation in this area.

Outside of your gender equality advocacy work, what do you enjoy doing?

I'm a big fan of café hopping and learning new languages.