Annemarie believes that a person’s opportunities in life shouldn’t be determined by their background, circumstances, or gender. After completing her Ph.D. in international human rights law, she traveled the world to understand how real change happens. Her extensive research and fieldwork across Africa, the Middle East and Asia enriched her academic expertise with lived realities on the ground.

In recent years, she has witnessed how progress on gender equality has been uneven, and in many parts of the world, even reversed. While more girls attend school and more laws protect against gender-based violence, too many women and girls are still denied their fundamental rights.

As founder of Right to Rise, Annemarie has advised and collaborated with the United Nations, the European Union, governments, consultancy firms, research institutes, universities, international NGOs, and local organisations, all contributing to one shared goal: a world where every women and girl can live free from violence.