Astrid Aafjes has been focusing on advancing women’s rights and after law school, she started her career in 1994 as theDirector of the Gender Department of Licadho, a local human rights organization in Cambodia.

In 1995, she headed a nationwide study around microcredit programs for women, for UNDP and the Ministry of Finance. In 1996, she moved toWashington DC, and joined Women, Law and Development International and worked with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women on a global report for the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

In 1997, Ms. Aafjes worked for the Dutch Embassy in China on poverty reduction programs in China and Mongolia. In 2002, she joined Mama Cash, the first International Women’s Fund, and was responsible for the Programme Department.

In 2007 she founded Women Win an internationalWomen’s Rights Organization using sports as an empowerment strategy. Currently she is the Chair of the Women Win Board. In 2016, Astrid started DowntownOffices – A Community to support women entrepreneurs to grow personally and professionally. After returning to Amsterdam in 2020, Astrid startedSheSupplies, an organization that promotes gender equality in the supply chain.

Ms. Aafjes has focused her career on gender and human rights and gained extensive experience on advancing the lives of girls and women and creating social change through innovative strategies. Ms. Aafjes holds a Law degree from the University of Amsterdam and Manchester University.