“I am deeply honoured by this recognition. The CBE is not just a personal accolade, but a reflection of the collective efforts of all those who have worked alongside me at Aequitas Global.

This award is about the impact we have made, and the sustained and real change that can be achieved through shared purpose and a commitment to service.

With 622 million people still projected to live in extreme poverty by 2030, there is still much for us all to do, and I trust that 2026 will be the year we all renew our focus on tackling poverty wherever it occurs.” – Dorothea Hodge

Dorothea Hodge, the Founder and CEO of Aequitas Global, has been honoured in the 2026 The New Year Honours List. The prestigious recognition celebrates her exceptional contributions in Parliamentary and political service.

The 2026 New Year Honours list, recognises unsung heroes who have made remarkable impacts in their communities. Dorothea’s inclusion on this prestigious list alongside Idris Elba, Sarina Wiegman and others, acknowledges decades of trailblazing high-impact work across politics, diplomacy, public policy, governance, and global communications.

As the founder of Aequitas Global in 2009, headquartered in London, with an office in Abuja, Nigeria, Dorothea has positioned the agency at the intersection of advocacy, media, and policy, leading campaigns that uplift women, young people, and underrepresented communities worldwide.

Whether advocating for policy change globally or working with grassroots organisations in rural communities, Dorothea’s commitment to improving lives remains the cornerstone of her work. Throughout her career, Dorothea has acted as a trusted advisor to prominent global institutions, such as the OECD, WHO, Commonwealth, and the Global Fund, and has worked closely with heads of state, policymakers, and development agencies to influence change. Notable highlights of her work include:

• Advising the African Development Bank’s AFAWA (Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa) initiative, which aims to unlock billions in financing for women-led businesses across 44 countries, working alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and Grammy-winning musician and philanthropist, Angelique Kidjo.

• Championing climate justice and leading Bayelsa State’s campaign to spotlight the extensive environmental devastation in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, driving international advocacy for a USD 12 billion environmental cleanup programme.

• Leading strategic communications for the International Dialogue on Peace-building and State-building, a global forum uniting 19 conflict-affected countries representing 1.5 billion people. Over five years Dorothea led an award winning global campaign to cement the dialogue’s political future, and strengthen its influence on global peace-building policy.

• Driving a rapid global media campaign following Hurricane Irma devastated Anguilla, devastating the island of Anguilla, securing coverage across the BBC, The Guardian, The New York Times and CNN, and helping increase UK Government aid pledges to £70 million within five days.

• Advising world-renowned British designer Thomas Heatherwick OBE on global communications for major Heatherwick Studio projects, including the Tree of Trees for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the launch of Google’s new Silicon Valley HQ in Bay View, California, and the global rollout of Humanise, the Studio’s campaign for more joyful, human-centred cities.

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