Binta Bah, a Gambian based in Germany, has been honoured as Bremen Woman of the year 2026 due to her dedication in empowering women, integration, inclusion and intercultural dialogue.
Binta, founder of Lundu e.V. a civil society organisation in Bremen supporting public health, integrations of migrants and intercultural connections was awarded by The Bremen State Women’s Council as ‘The Bremen Woman of the Year’. Binta Bah has been committed to women affected by genital mutilation and to making the issue more visible for years.
Because of her work, Binta Bah was nominated among 18 candidates and voted “Woman of the Year 2026” in Bremen. In her speech, she said that people in responsible positions should understand how powerful their decisions are. Their decisions can make life easier for vulnerable families, or they can cause people to lose stability or the place where they belong. Many families depend on fair and understanding decisions from leaders.
According to the citation from Bremen State Women’s Council, Binta came to Bremen from The Gambia as a teenager – alone. How she managed, against all odds, to combine education, motherhood and helping mutilated women. The World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes between four types of female genital mutilation. Depending on the practice, the clitoris and/or the inner and outer labia are removed with a sharp object; in other cases, the vaginal opening is severely narrowed by sewing it shut.
On Thursday at a Senate reception in the Bremen town hall, Senator Claudia Bernhard and the State Women’s Council honoured the activist under the motto “Strong together: women’s solidarity as an answer to political crises”.
Antje Jess, chairwoman of the Bremen State Women’s Council, in writing upon request, states: “We are honoring Binta Bah as a political activist who stands up for her community in mainstream society and thereby increases the visibility and representation of black women.” The State Women’s Council also wants to show that migrant organizations in the state are doing important political and cultural work for the community.
Binta Bah is the founder of LUNDU e.V.. She works to support migrant women and families, especially women and children from African countries like The Gambia.
Through her association, Binta helps women integrate into German society. Women can learn German and about German culture while also receiving support to succeed in their daily lives.
LUNDU e.V., provides German school with childcare, so mothers who do not have a kindergarten place for their children can still go to school and learn German while their children are taken care of.
The association also works on preventing female genital mutilation (FGM), offers counseling, awareness sessions, and workshops to inform families about the risks and human rights issues.
Binta also organizes awareness events that include the youth welfare office, police, various organizations, and community members. These events promote cultural exchange, strengthen understanding, and help build a better future for everyone.
Binta invites senators and members of parliament to visit the association. They meet women and children, hear their experiences, and support their empowerment. The organization also helps families with personal problems, especially when authorities are involved.
Many Gambian women and children and other African families benefit from these programs. Every year, Binta organizes a cultural concert. Last year, Sona Jobarteh performed. This year, Titi and Nagothe Llo will perform on 30 May 2026.
The goal of Binta Bah and LUNDU e.V. is to empower women, support families, promote education and awareness, encourage cultural exchange, and help migrant communities integrate into Germany.
In 2025, October 3, she represented the state of Sarland Federal Council l’s ‘Day of German Unity’ with the motto ‘Future through change’, hosted by Germany’s President Dr Frank Walter Stein-Meir
