Sofia has been personally responsible for driving important change in enacting gender-sensitive legislation across Romania.
Sofia has been personally responsible for driving important change in enacting gender-sensitive legislation across Romania.
In Romania, domestic violence is one of the leading causes of death for women, and the majority of human trafficking victims across Europe are Romanian.
Sofia is the founder of Romania’s first youth-led gender equality organisation, Girl Up Romania, which has over 150 members across 50 cities. Her advocacy led to legislative achievements, including comprehensive sexual education, banning virginity testing, and improved measures against gender-based violence.
Girl Up Romania has led advocacy efforts to change the National Education Law, to define sexual violence in schools and provide resources for students who have been victims. Sofia has spoken at United Nations events, featured in renowned publications like Vogue, and become a symbol of feminist progress to millions.
In response to the Ukraine war, Sofia worked with fellow advocates across Eastern Europe to form a solidarity network, uniting efforts to support female refugees, and is now leading ground-breaking research at Stanford University, proposing new methods for understanding and prosecuting wartime sexual violence. Her work has led to policy changes, protests and community-building events.
Sofia’s work has been featured in multiple national news outlets, sharing her story that's relatable to young people from backgrounds less represented.
Sofia has grown tremendously as an advocate, using all her work experiences as learning experiences to continue making a change.
