UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
The UN's biographical note describes Mlambo-Ngcuka as bringing “a wealth of experience in advocating for women's issues with a combination of strategic leadership, consensus building and hands-on management experience.”
10 July 2013: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as Executive Director of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The UN’s biographical note describes Mlambo-Ngcuka as bringing “a wealth of experience in advocating for women’s issues with a combination of strategic leadership, consensus building and hands-on management experience.”
From 2005 to 2008, Mlambo-Ngcuka served as the first woman Deputy President of South Africa, following her service as a Deputy Minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1996-1999) and Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999-2005). She also served as Young Women’s Coordinator for the World Young Women’s Christian Association (1984-1986) and as the first President of the Natal Organization of Women. She established the Umlambo Foundation in 2008 to invest in the leadership and management of school principals, with the aim of improving education quality in public schools.
Mlambo-Ngcuka holds a Master of Philosophy in educational planning and policy from the University of Cape Town (2003) and a Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of Lesotho (1980).
Mlambo-Ngcuka replaces Michelle Bachelet, who served as UN Women’s first Executive Director. UN Women is responsible for holding the UN accountable for commitments on gender equality and overseeing UN programmes that promote women’s rights. [UN Press Release] [UN Women Press Release] [Umlambo Foundation Website]