Leila Benhaddou Ruiz Wins Spain's National Youth Award for Social Commitment

Equitech Futures is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Leila Benhaddou Ruiz, a 2024 Civic Tech Institute scholar from Spain and Morocco, who has been awarded Spain's prestigious National Youth Award for Social Commitment by INJUVE (Instituto de la Juventud).

The award recognizes Leila's decade-long dedication to social transformation through Abrazando Ilusiones, the foundation she co-founded at just 19 years old. Inspired by her own family's migration experiences and the challenges faced by young people in contexts of social exclusion, Leila has championed positive youth development and social cohesion. Under her visionary leadership, the organization now operates internationally, having designed and implemented more than twenty youth-focused projects. Her advocacy extends to prestigious forums including the Council of Europe and the UN Human Rights Council, where she has been a powerful voice for human rights and social justice.

Leila's commitment to equitable development was further demonstrated at the 16th session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) in Geneva last October, where she spoke on "Building Innovation Ecosystems: Opportunities for the Next Generation." Drawing on her background in economics and international relations, Leila explored how institutions and communities can better support youth-led innovation. She proudly highlighted Equitech Futures as an exemplary network cultivating purpose-driven, cross-sector youth innovation.

This Spanish-Moroccan entrepreneur's journey reflects the very values Equitech Futures champions: leveraging cooperative networks to create positive social impact while bridging divides to foster equity. From her early engagements at the United Nations and European Commission to her current work in crisis response and capacity strengthening, Leila embodies the transformational leadership that emerges when young changemakers are equipped with the tools and networks to address complex global challenges.

Congratulations, Leila, on this well-deserved recognition!