Libya’s First-Ever Female Foreign Minister, a Fulbright Alumna, Wins 2022 International Women of Courage Award

Fulbright ExchangeAlumni and Libyan foreign minister Najla El Mangoush was selected by the U.S. Department of State for a 2022 International Women of Courage Award (IWOC) for her leadership in Libya. In winning this award, Najla joins more than 170 women from over 80 countries who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength, and leadership in order to bring about positive change to their communities, often at great personal risk and sacrifice. 

As Libya’s first-ever female foreign minister, Najla has spent the past decade helping her country transition toward a more unified, democratic form of governance – promoting conflict resolution and building peace and security along the way.

Prior to her appointment as foreign minister, Najla served as a lawyer and human rights activist, specializing in legal and restorative justice in Libyan civil society. While she joins four other women in the Libyan cabinet, this is not Najla’s first role in the government. She also led the public engagement unit in the transitional council that governed the country in 2011. 

In her tenure as foreign minister, Najla has worked to confront fundamentalism and extremism, remaining committed to removing the presence of foreign forces, fighters, and mercenaries (FFF&M) from Libya. In doing so, Najla has demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership skills and inspired the country’s citizens to come together to embrace the democratic governance.

Najla is the recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship, which she used to obtain a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Eastern Mennonite University in 2013.

Congratulations, Najla!