Dolle Mina and Nienke ’s Gravemade winners of the Joke Smit Awards 2025

State Secretary for Education, Culture and Science Koen Becking: “Dolle Mina remains relevant in advocating for the position of women. Unfortunately, equal rights for women are still not a given. Admirable is how Dolle Mina, with striking actions, still manages to draw attention to, among other things, the safety of women. Nienke ’s Gravemade is the rightful winner of the encouragement award due to her humorous videos with a feminist undertone. After the murder of 17-year-old Lisa, she poignantly highlighted the right to safety for women with her poem #rechtopdenacht.”

“Especially now, Dolle Mina’s are very topical. They manage to reach an audience of all ages. The Dolle Mina’s, founded in 1969 to share dissatisfaction about the position of women, show that women’s rights are still under pressure. The impact and relevance of Dolle Mina is truly enormous and valuable, and therefore they deserve the Joke Smit Lifetime Achievement Award,” said the jury.

On Saturday, August 30, 2025, Dolle Mina drew attention to the safety of women by cycling in 15 cities. The Dolle Mina slogans: ‘Insecurity of women is not a women’s problem, but a societal problem,’ and ‘Together we reclaim what has always been ours, the night, the street, the future’ highlight current themes.

“Nienke ’s Gravemade, as an actress, writer, and online feminist activist, draws attention to toxic masculinity with humorous Instagram videos. ‘Taking the Manosphere seriously and combating it with humor. That works. She thinks so. She hopes so.’ It is very special that she is aware of the impact she has and speaks out about important feminist themes. She does so clearly and often with humor,” said the jury.

The jury of the Joke Smit Award is impressed by the way and manner in which Nienke ’s Gravemade commits herself. With her moving poem #rechtopdenacht, she made a beautiful and clear statement that was widely shared. The jury encourages Nienke ’s Gravemade to continue her fantastic commitment to feminism.

The winner of the lifetime achievement award receives an art object and €10,000. The winner of the encouragement award receives €1,000. The jury of the Joke Smit Award consists of Janneke Wittekoek (cardiologist women’s heart), Belle Barbé (pedagogue sexual education), and Iven Cudogham (presenter, author). The award is named after feminist Joke Smit (1933–1981), who played a leading role in women’s emancipation in the Netherlands.