Malayah Harper
Independent
For me, being a SheDecides Champion means living the ethos that the personal is political and taking a stand and acting with integrity. It also means being a meaningful ally. On a larger scale, I use my energy, and networks to build partnerships and harness the power of diverse coalitions and the media so that everyone can have bodily autonomy and realise their human rights. This entails working at the intersection of evidence, politics, laws, and advocacy to dismantle systems of oppression.
How we are working so SheDecides
Malayah is a global advocate and thought leader on global SRHR work. She has a long history of advocating for SRHR and in particular abortion rights and ending sexual violence. She was interviewed for the BBC documentary ‘Whistleblowers Inside the UN’ which won Best Current Affairs Programme at the 2023 Broadcast Awards. She also leads work on political analysis and strategy development to counter global anti-SRHR and gender movements and polarisation.
Project 2025: How the blueprint for the next Republican administration may impact US foreign and development policy on SRHR and gender equality
A lot has been said about Project 2025 in the media, but not enough attention has been paid to the global plans to attack gender, SRHR, LGBTQI, and human rights. This comprehensive report outlines the plans of any new Republican administration which includes:
- Restructuring USAID and eliminating their gender and human rights work
- Implementation of the Anti-Abortion Geneva Consensus Declaration
- A massive expansion of the Mexico City Policy to ‘Protecting Life in all Foreign and Humanitarian Assistance’
- Ending support for the LGBTQ+ communities abroad
- Expanding intervention throughout the UN, the Global Fund and Gavi, UN agencies
Whistleblowers Inside the UN (BBC documentary)
The Whistleblowers: Inside the UN tells the story of the consequences insiders face when they speak out to allege a wide range of sexual abuse. Malayah was the first whistleblower to speak out against sexual harassment and assault in UNAIDS and has given numerous media interviews and supported reviews and stronger programming to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA).
EngenderHealth Safe Abortion Strategy
Grounded in health and human-rights frameworks, this work recognises the tremendous, preventable toll that unsafe abortion takes on women, girls, and other pregnant people. It outlines the strategy to Expanding Abortion Rights, Equity, and Access for a Gender-Equal World across programme countries. It builds on the new WHO guideline and after the Dobb’s decision in America which overturned Roe versus Wade.
Founding Board Member SheDecides
Start up for innovative global political partnership bringing together governments, civil society, and individual Champions. Took principle decisions on governance, strategy, partnerships, and resources mobilisation.
Strategy – Empower Young Women and Adolescent Girls: Fast Track the End of AIDS in Africa
The Strategy was launched at the African Union Summit and led to political commitments within the AU Declaration. It guarantees that the rights and empowerment of Africa’s young women and girls is a moral obligation and a development imperative and a smart investment that will safeguard the health of women and girls in Africa and ensure sustainable and inclusive growth on the continent