Winnie Byanyima — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Serves as Executive Director at UNAIDS since 2019.
Served as Executive Director of Oxfam International from 2013 to 2019.
Founded the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), a leading NGO in Uganda.
Served three terms (eleven years) in the Ugandan Parliament, representing Mbarara Municipality from 1994 to 2004.
Co-founded the Global Gender and Climate Alliance and chaired UN-wide task forces on gender aspects of the Millennium Development Goals and climate change.
Served as Uganda's ambassador to France from 1989 until 1994.
Holds an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in Energy Conservation and the Environment from Cranfield University and a B.Sc. in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Manchester.

Biography

Winnie Byanyima is the Executive Director of UNAIDS, a position she has held since 2019. Born in Uganda, she is an aeronautical engineer, politician, human rights activist, feminist, and diplomat. She is recognized as an expert on women's rights and has a background as a grass-roots activist and senior international public servant.

Prior to joining UNAIDS, Byanyima served as Executive Director of Oxfam International from 2013 to 2019.