Binaifer Nowrojee

Defending America’s Promise of Democracy "America is witnessing systematic expansion of government overreach," writes Binaifer Nowrojee

And today, I watch solemnly as that same contagion has taken hold in the United States.

Read my latest here:

As a teenager in Kenya, I witnessed firsthand the consequences of a government whose authority thrived on brute force and fear.

Over my career, I’ve been a student of the mechanics of repression: vulnerable populations demonized, allied communities targeted, and unpunished abuse normalized.

As the current administration transforms immigration enforcement into a tool of cruelty that undermines the rule of law, and as migrants are blamed for problems they didn’t create, communities are banding together to defend their neighbors.

President of George Soros’ non-profit says it would take legal action to fight Trump’s attacks Binaifer Nowrojee, Open Society Foundations president, said the organization would ‘go to court if need be’

.@open-society.bsky.social supports the right of free speech and organizations’ constitutional rights to organize themselves, including through peaceful protest.

We’ll fight to ensure those rights are upheld, including going to court if needed.

My @theguardian.com interview https://bit.ly/48C9laH

I am deeply honored to receive this award. It is a recognition of a shared commitment to something larger than ourselves—that the rule of law must also mean the defense of human rights, the advancement of justice, and the importance of accountability.

Human Rights Protections and Accountability in a Changing World Binaifer Nowrojee, president of the Open Society Foundations, speaks at the University of California Berkeley Law School on protecting human rights defenders.

Read more about how @open-society.bsky.social is protecting these defenders and more in my speech: www.opensocietyfoundations.org/newsroom/hum...

We owe our fundamental freedoms to human rights defenders.

I recently spoke @ucberkeleylaw.bsky.social about the important work of protecting them, and standing by them as they don’t just defend rights but also advance them.

We are committed to climate action that is rooted in justice, inclusivity, and human rights. This is an opportunity for global cooperation, with leadership from the Global South. We need shared purpose and collaboration to reimagine development so it benefits people and planet.

Next week I am headed to #COP30, where @open-society.bsky.social will continue conversations from UNGA and NY Climate Week. Ten years since the historic Paris Climate Agreement, the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C limit. Just when multilateral cooperation is needed most, it is fraying.

We are witnessing what we are calling a youthquake all around the world—young people who haven't even grown up in democracies beginning to articulate and ask for societies that uphold human rights, equity, and justice. This is what democracy with dignity could look like.

Binaifer Nowrojee: Kenyan lawyer steering Soros’s new era of global philanthropy - The Africa Report.com Raised under dictatorship and punished for her father’s defiance, the Open Society Foundations president has built a life on conviction that justice, courage and local power still matter in a fracture...

I’m deeply grateful to The Africa Report for taking the time to tell my story—and highlight what’s ahead for the Open Society Foundations in a moment that’s both volatile but full of possibility. www.theafricareport.com/394776/binai...

My upbringing shaped my belief that philanthropy must always center those closest to the challenges we aim to solve, and that pursuing justice isn’t always the easy path. But it’s always the right one.

Leonard Benardo: Reexamining the “Open Society” • Stimson Center Leonard Benardo, Senior Vice President at the Open Society Foundations, joins us to discuss OSF's emergence and evolution, defining values of open societies, and heterodox thinking for turbulent times.

From our origins as a philanthropy during the Cold War to confronting today’s multiple crises, our Senior Vice President Leonard Benardo explores our history, present, and future with Peter Slezkine of the Stimson Center: https://www.stimson.org/2025/leonard-benardo-reexamining-the-open-society/

George Soros's foundation responds to being targeted by Trump for investigation President Trump has hinted that an investigation should be launched into philanthropist George Soros. NPR spoke with the head of Open Society Foundation, which Soros started, about Trump's suggestion.

Attacks against @open-society.bsky.social are not about us, but about the United States slowly losing its democracy, as we have seen in different parts of the world.

We remain true to our values to promote rights, equity, and justice.

My interview with NPR: n.pr/3VE54wr

The Open Society Foundations unequivocally condemn terrorism and do not fund terrorism. Our activities are peaceful and lawful, and our grantees are expected to abide by human rights principles and comply with the law. These accusations are politically motivated attacks on civil society, meant to silence speech the administration disagrees with and undermine the First Amendment right to free speech. When power is abused to take away the rights of some people, it puts the rights of all people at risk. Our work in the United States is dedicated to strengthening democracy and upholding constitutional freedoms. We stand by the work we do to improve lives in the United States and across the world.

Our statement in response to reporting that the Trump Administration is directing investigations without evidence into our operations.

We have to learn from these successes, to interrogate the obstacles, and to push forward with models that work for people, not just for markets or narrow interests, explains @open-society.bsky.social President @nowrojeeosf.bsky.social in her opening remarks at Climate Week NYC. bit.ly/4p94eoV

The convergence of #UN80, #Ezulwini at 20, & the AU’s Year of Justice makes 2025 a decisive moment for solidarity & partnership to advance equitable, inclusive, and representative multilateral order that delivers power, peace, prosperity, & reparations for Africa and for people of African descent.

The Ezulwini Consensus (2005) sets out Africa’s united demand: 2 permanent seats with veto power and 5 non-permanent seats—a demand for recognition of Africa’s sovereignty and voice in global governance.

Africa has 54 UN member states and nearly 30% of the world’s population. Nearly half of the Security Council’s agenda concerns Africa. This imbalance in representation is not technical. It is structural. It is historical.

At #UNGA80, I joined the side event “From Ezulwini to an Equitable World Order.” 80 years since the UN’s founding, Africa still has no permanent seat on the Security Council.

Looking forward to the discussion on Global South leadership in ensuring an inclusive green development agenda.

Attempts to silence speech undermine our democracy and harm all Americans. We’ve signed a letter with 120+ organizations to stand for this fundamental freedom: osf.to/FundamentalF...

The Open Society Foundations have unequivocally condemned the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk. Our thoughts are with his family and all who are mourning his loss.

A free and open society depends on people being able to express their views without fear of violence.

Open Society’s work centers long marginalized and excluded communities that bear great consequences for systemic crises. In many of these communities, women and youth are key drivers of change. We’re proud to partner with and support these movements so that all people can thrive in an open society.

Women’s leadership is driven from the ground up, from women on the frontlines of change in local communities to the election of Claudia Sheinbaum as Mexico's first woman president. The same day she took office, I was proud to become the first woman ever to lead @open-society.bsky.social.

Women bring unique experiences to policymaking, creating greater political inclusivity, placing stronger protection for human rights, and improving overall economic performance.

“When women are in positions of political leadership, they are more likely to pursue policies that advance sustainable development – from access to safe water to providing affordable healthcare.” Binaifer Nowrojee, Open Society President

Women’s leadership can deliver meaningful change. Women are at the heart of many liberation movements, as I emphasized in my recent lecture in Mexico City: osf.to/4n7sZA2

Today we’re launching a series of initiatives to promote social and economic well-being in Latin America by focusing on people’s real needs: access to services, care, a healthy environment, quality jobs, and security.

Starvation in Gaza and Our Global Shame Binaifer Nowrojee sees ample evidence that the country is committing the most serious of crimes in Gaza.

“Palestinians are being intentionally starved to death. Although signs of the coming horrors were clear within months of the war’s onset, many governments averted their eyes. Now, they are failing in their duty to prevent and stop a genocide.”

One where the local leads to change at national, regional, and, ultimately, global level. And one where Africa asserts its place in the world as a continent of leadership, innovation, and ideas, forging new paths, discarding outdated systems, and redefining its future.