Rugile Butkeviciute

2024-2025 Obama Foundation Europe Leader

Headshot of Rugile Butkeviciute, 2024-2025 Obama Foundation Europe Leader

Co-Founder and Director, Ribologija

Lithuania

Rugile Butkeviciute is the co-founder and director of Ribologija, the first non-governmental organization in the Baltic states focused solely on the prevention of sexual violence. A lawyer by trade, Rugile has spent over a decade providing free legal aid to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. She also helped establish the first online rape crisis center in Lithuania and authored a book for pre-school children on preventing sexual violence. As a renowned expert on gender equality in Lithuania, she annually trains thousands of youth and professionals on gender-based violence and is committed to bringing gender equality concerns to the forefront of public discourse.

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