Aug22136 25. Best Women’s Humanitarian Advocacy CEO 2026 (France): Florine Clomegah-Freitas & Best Women’s Empowerment & Education Organisation 2026 (France): Worldwide Women’s Forum There have been significant cuts to international aid, at a time when humanitarian organisations are needed the most. Women and girls pay the highest price in these unprecedented times, facing increased poverty, discrimination, and gender-based violence. Since 2018, the Worldwide Women’s Forum has worked tirelessly to promote gender equality and advance women’s rights, a mission driven by Founder and CEO Florine Clomegah-Freitas. Recognised in the European CEO of the Year Awards 2026 for her determination to make a true difference in the world, Florine tells us more about her journey, leadership philosophy, and ambitions for the future. “Compassion and results are not opposites. Leading with kindness, integrity, and accountability is what makes change last.” For more than 25 years, humanitarian Florine Clomegah-Freitas has worked in service of the most vulnerable people on the planet. After studying law at Panthéon-Sorbonne in Paris, Florine joined the British civil service and later completed a Master’s degree at SOAS, University of London. After taking on a small role within a charitable organisation, working alongside its director, Florine developed two lasting desires that would shape the course of her professional career: to help the most vulnerable as a profession, and to lead. Florine’s work with Africa began at ECOWAS, where she was Deputy Director and Principal Officer at GIABA in Dakar. She went on to lead humanitarian operations with the International Rescue Committee in Niger; as Regional Director of Operations for AIRD, across ten countries and more than 1,850 staff; as Deputy Regional Director for Africa at the IFRC, covering 49 National Societies; and as General Director of Médecins Sans Frontières Operational Centre Amsterdam, with oversight of a budget of more than €300 million. Florine established Worldwide Women’s Forum (WWWF) in 2018, a non-governmental organisation registered in France, with a field presence in Lomé, Togo, and partners in Uganda. Since then, the organisation has been on a mission to create meaningful change in the lives of women and girls, and of the families and communities around them. Africa is at the heart of this work, while in France – especially in Marseille – the team supports women, migrants, and refugees. At the heart of Florine’s vision is also the ambition to help build a new kind of partnership between Africa and Europe: one that is more human-centred, caring, equal, and rooted in mutual respect. Rather than relationships based on dependency, she believes in partnerships that recognise the knowledge, talent, and contribution of both continents, bringing people together as equals to create lasting social impact. For Florine, the future of Africa– Europe relations should not be defined by one side helping the other, but by people working together as equals – sharing knowledge, opportunities, responsibility, and humanity. In less than a decade, WWWF’s work has encompassed funding girls’ education, supporting disadvantaged families, encouraging women’s entrepreneurship, and contributing to cancer awareness and prevention in Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Niger. In addition to helping young refugees settle safely and find peace and opportunity, the team runs advocacy campaigns and masterclasses on women’s rights, health, and wellbeing. Its exceptional work in this field has earned the WWWF team recognition as France’s Best Women’s Empowerment and Education Organisation 2026. In recent years, Florine has added entrepreneurship to her career path. She is CoChairwoman and Acting CEO of CIKA Golden Hôtel & Suites, a four-star hotel in Lomé; Co-Chairwoman of SCICCO, a commercial property company; Board Member and former Interim CEO of SCIACK; Founder of CIKA FAB, a Togolese fashion brand celebrating African textiles and local craftsmanship; and an independent executive coach. “My father taught me: ‘Do what you love, as long as it is virtuous.’ That principle guides everything I lead,” Florine shared. “At WWWF, we listen to communities before we act, and we never forget that women’s rights are human rights. At the hotel, we offer what we call un luxe bienveillant: a caring approach to luxury, where every guest should feel at home. For our corporate tenants, it means reliability, transparency, and respect for their business. In every setting, when people feel respected, they commit and they come back. That is what makes our work last.” Looking to the future, Florine will continue to lead WWWF whilst developing her businesses in Togo and growing her executive coaching practice. These different worlds have reinforced a longstanding belief that Florine has held close throughout her entire career: leadership is ultimately about people. With expertise gained through the years, an unwavering dedication to people, and well-deserved recognition as France’s Best Women’s Humanitarian Advocacy CEO 2026, Florine is setting out to deepen her impact, whilst helping as many people as possible along the way. “I dream big, and my dreams do not frighten me; they uplift me,” Florine concluded. “I dedicate this recognition to the women and girls we serve, to my parents, who taught me virtue and happiness, and to the teams and partners whose courage makes this work possible. My message to every woman reading this: believe in yourself and be fearless.” Contact: Florine Clomegah-Freitas Company: Worldwide Women’s Forum (WWWF) Web Address: www.worldwidewomenforum.com & www.florineclomegahfreitas.com Aug22136
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