Marrakech – The United Nations Office at Geneva unveiled on Tuesday a photo exhibition celebrating 75 women leaders from around the world. Morocco’s Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), is among them.

The exhibition opened at the Hall of Lost Footsteps in the Palais des Nations under the title “Not a Woman’s Job? Women Leading Countries, Societies and Communities.” It ran from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Geneva time. The event was organized by UN Geneva, UN Women, the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN in Geneva, and international partners.

Bouayach is the only Moroccan featured in the exhibition. She is one of three Arab women and one of three African women leaders included. The 75 portraits represent women from 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). They span fields including heads of state and government, regional organizations, rights advocacy, policymaking, and civil society.

The opening ceremony featured remarks by Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva. Sofia Calltorp, Director of UN Women’s Geneva Office and Chief of Humanitarian Action, also spoke.

Kazakhstan’s Deputy Permanent Representative Talgat Ashetov and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Chairperson of the State Committee for Family, Women and Children Affairs Sadagat Gahramanova delivered remarks as well.

Alice Roseth Helleberg, the first female Deputy Leader of the Norwegian Coastal Fisher’s Association, also addressed the gathering. A walk-through of the exhibition followed the speeches.

Bouayach’s exhibition profile describes her as an internationally recognized advocate for the right to life. It spotlights her defense of the rights of women, victims, and vulnerable groups.

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It also cites her contributions to advancing human rights culture and strengthening civil society in Morocco, across Africa, and internationally. Her portrait was taken on December 17, 2024, at the CNDH headquarters in Rabat, as she celebrated Morocco’s historic vote in favor of the universal moratorium on the death penalty.

The recognition comes during an active period for Bouayach in Geneva. On June 19, she addressed a high-level discussion marking the 20th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Council.

Speaking as president of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), she called for stronger bridges between international human rights mechanisms and national realities.

She noted that GANHRI now includes more than 119 accredited institutions, up from around 50 when the council was created in 2006. She also warned of a growing crisis of public confidence in institutions and urged making the council a platform of convergence within the international human rights system.

The session was moderated by HRC President Sidharto R. Suryodipuro and introduced by UN Secretary-General António Guterres via video message.

Days before the exhibition, Bouayach also received a tribute from the African Network of National Preventive Mechanisms against Torture at its 4th Annual Conference in Kigali, held June 24-26.

The network honored her as its founding president. Under her tenure, it adopted the Marrakech Declaration in 2023 and established its permanent secretariat in Rabat, creating Africa’s first continental platform dedicated to torture prevention.