Nika

Nika Kovač is the founding director of the 8th of March Research Institute, a movement-building organization that uses storytelling and advocacy to confront gender and economic inequalities across Slovenia. Commemorating International Women’s Day, which is celebrated annually on March 8th, the 8th of March Research Institute works to break the silence around sexual violence by gathering testimonials and data on issues of rape, abortion, and sexual assault across the country.

Under her leadership, the 8th of March Research Institute’s advocacy campaigns successfully initiated the legal redefinition of rape in Slovenia, enforcing a new legal precedent for the “yes means yes” consent model. She coordinated referendum campaign against privatisation of water, marriage equality campaign and go out and vote campaign. She was chosen as Slovenian women of the year in 2021 and as personality of the year by Mladina magazine.