RGC is thrilled to announce UJ Chancellor and former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, as our keynote speaker for this year’s Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture!

Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was a member of the first South African democratically elected Parliament in 1994, first as deputy minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1994 – 1996) and as minister of Minerals and Energy (1999 – 2005). She later became the Deputy President of South Africa (2005-2008), the highest-ranking female political leader in the history of the country.

Throughout her illustrious political career, Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka directed her energy towards issues of human rights, equality and social justice, with a specific emphasis on gender and youth development. She has a track record of giving back to her communities, dating back to the pre-1994 years when she was a teacher and a lecturer. She continued in this vein when she moved to Geneva, where she took up the position of coordinator at the World YCWA, a grassroots-driven, global movement rooted in the leadership of women, young women, and girls. While in this role, she established a programme for young women (1984 – 1989), among other roles.

Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka was appointed as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women in 2013. As the head of the United Nations entity that is dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, she was a global advocate for women and girls. She led the organisation’s innovative work on transforming social inequalities and discriminatory norms, with initiatives such as the HeforShe movement (driving men and boys’ engagement in gender equality), the UnStereotype Alliance initiative (influencing advertising norms for positive change and equal representation) and helped countries to change hundreds of laws that discriminate against women and girls.

Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka has also successfully mobilised a historic 40 billion USD in financial commitments from Member States, private sector, philanthropies and civil society as well as young people, which have formed Generational Equality to drive transformative change for women and girls around the world. She continues to be engaged and affiliated with organisations committed to education, women empowerment and gender equality. Such affiliations include the Umlambo Foundation (Founder), the Global Partnership and Fund to End Violence Against Children (BoardMember), African Leadership Academy (Member of the Advisory Board) and the Mandela Rhodes Foundation (Board of Trustees).