120 Under 40

Journalists, doctors, advocates, researchers and founders of nonprofits are among the young family planning champions worldwide being recognized and rewarded for leadership by Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The Institute on Tuesday announced 2016 winners of 120 Under 40: The New Generation of Family Planning Leaders. All will receive $1,000 from the Gates Institute, with support from Bayer, to continue their work in family planning.

A sampling of winners:

• Ethiopia’s Minister of Health Kesetebirhan Admasu who has championed the country’s Health Extension Network, which improves family planning and reproductive health services through community-based health workers;
• Vithika Yadav who is providing accessible, non-judgmental information on sexual and reproductive health and rights through the digital platform Love Matters India;
• Burcu Bozkurt, who co-leads a global network of 50-plus country coordinators working to amplify and empower the voices of young family planning and reproductive health advocates; and
• Rakibul Hasan, features editor at The Bangladesh Today.

Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health