Ketty Nivyabandi is a human rights defender, poet and refugee. She was forced to flee her home as a result of her activism in May 2015, after she mobilized and successfully led women peaceful protests in her home country, Burundi.

In Canada, Ketty continues to raise awareness on ongoing human rights violations in her country, particularly against women. She has led several global awareness campaigns on human rights violations in Burundi, has testified before the Canadian House of Commons Sub-Committee on International Human Rights as a human rights defender, and regularly speaks on human rights, refugee issues, and the intimate effects of conflict on women’s lives.

Ketty studied International Relations, is a former journalist, and currently works as the Manager for Advocacy and Strategic Research at the Nobel Women’s Initiative.