Leslee Udwin

Affiliation

Think Equal

Biography

Leslee Udwin is an award-winning filmmaker, human rights advocate, and education activist whose work has driven systemic change across justice, gender equality, and education. Named by The New York Times as the No. 2 Most Impactful Woman of 2016 (after Hillary Clinton), she is a recipient of the Swedish Anna Lindh Human Rights Prize, UN Women for Peace Activist Award, Global Citizen of the Year, Gandhi Foundation International Peace Award, and multiple international honours recognizing her global impact. Leslee’s filmmaking career is marked by landmark successes. Her first film, Who Bombed Birmingham?, directly contributed to the release of the Birmingham Six after 17 years of wrongful imprisonment. Her BAFTA-winning feature East is East has become a classic, widely taught across Europe, promoting tolerance and social cohesion. Her documentary India’s Daughter—winner of a Peabody Award and 32 international accolades—sparked a global movement to end violence against women and girls. Following India’s Daughter, Leslee founded Think Equal, a global early childhood education initiative addressing social and emotional learning to prevent inequality at its roots. As Executive Chair, she has led the programme to reach over 550,000 children in 36 countries. Think Equal is a recipient of the WISE Award and a HundrED Global Innovation, and partners with leading institutions including UNICEF, UNESCO, the World Bank, and Yale University. Leslee serves on multiple high-level global advisory bodies advancing education, equity, and sustainable development.