Musimbi Kanyoro
Encyclopedia
Well known for her leadership in international non-government organizations (NGOs), Musimbi Kanyoro is passionate advocate and popular speaker for the promotion of health, sustainable development and human rights, with a special focus on women, children and minority groups. She is currently the President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women
and has served on many social justice and international development boards. Dr. Kanyoro has written and published extensively in these areas.
In 2005, Dr. Kanyoro was one of the nominees for 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Musimbi began her involvement with the global agenda of the United Nations
at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi, 1985 where she played a leading role on the national host committee. Moving to Geneva, Switzerland in 1988, she then went on to play a key role in the preparation for and execution of the NGO participation in the five major United Nations conferences of the 1990's: Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit
, Rio de Janeiro, 1992, World Conference on Human Rights
, Vienna, 1993, International Conference on Population and Development
(ICPD), Cairo, 1994, Commission for Social Development
World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 1995, Fourth World Conference on Women
, Beijing, 1995.
Dr. Kanyoro Signed together with UNICEF ED the Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF, committing the World YWCA and UNICEF to working together on country programs to improve the lives of women and girls.
She recently spoke to the United National General Assembly and was a plenary speaker at the International AIDS Conference and chaired the largest panel on women and AIDS.
In October 2008 she was the Inaugural Nelson Mandela Lecturer at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, presented by the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre
The Global Fund for Women believes that social justice philanthropy acts as a catalyst for building a strong and independent civil society. Women’s leadership is seen to be vital for sustainable social change.
and rights around the world and in the United States gave Dr. Kanyoro an opportunity to link grant making with the reality of program and project implementation as well as capacity building, advocacy and leadership interventions.
The Packard Foundation Population Program is dedicated to reproductive health and to the integration of those services with critical global health issues like HIV
/AIDS
as well as with support services such as education, micro-credit and other skill-building opportunities for women and girls. Dr. Kanyoro guided these efforts, which reinforced her commitment to women and girls and to the fight against HIV/AIDS, a pressing reproductive health issue.
Dr. Kanyoro is passionate about empowering young women and her portfolio as director of the Population Program kept her engaged in this arena. A majority of women who need family planning services or access to safe and legal abortion are within their childbearing years, meaning many of them are young. Dr. Kanyoro and the Population Program she oversaw understood that to create a systemic change, civil society must foster women leaders and provide fora for them to keep reproductive health on the development agenda.
’s revival in regions such as Eastern Europe
and China
. She steered the organization’s policy to ensure 50% of the World YWCA’s international board is under the age of 30.
She led the YWCA’s involvement in the development and adoption of “NGO Charter of Accountability” with 10 other non-governmental organizations.
Dr. Kanyoro is credited with strengthening working relations among member associations as well as international relationships between the World YWCA and the United Nations
, the World Bank
, the private sector and other NGOs, leading to increased financial support.
Dr. Kanyoro helped to steer the YWCA
’s international response in the fight against HIV/AIDS, which includes programs in more than 70 countries. The World YWCA was elected to serve on the Coordinating Committee for the preparation of the International AIDS conference to take place in Mexico in 2008.
. She is credited with using diplomacy to develop programs to enhance the development of women, promoting women’s rights and women’s education. During her time at LWF, Dr. Kanyoro co-founded the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
thanks
Visiting Scholar, Hebrew, Greek and Exegesis, Harvard Divinity School (1981–1982)
Ph.D., Linguistics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA (1980)
MA, Linguistics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA (1977)
BA, Linguistics, Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya (1975)
1999 – Trinity Lutheran Seminary, (TLS) USA, Doctorate of Divinity (DD honorary) for significant contribution to Christian Theology.
2006 – Planet Africa, Toronto, Canada, Leadership Award in recognizing leadership, excellence and professionalism among people of African heritage.
2006 – Birmingham-Southern College
, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Women, Leadership and Human Dignity Award for significant contribution to advancement of human dignity.
2005 – Kenya
Government, Presidential Award in recognition of international leadership
2005 – African Women's Development Fund
, Accra, Ghana, Women of Substance Award
2005 – World Vision
and International AIDS Trust, USA, Global Leadership Award
2005 – Nominee 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize
2005
2003 - Philippine Christian University
, Manila, Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) on recognition of distinguished accomplishments as theologian, Church Leader, Civic Worker, Linguistic and Author
2000 – Luther Institute, USA, The Wittenberg Award in recognition of her outstanding service to church and society.
1999 - Church Women United
, (CWU) USA, Human Rights Award in recognition of commitment and dedication to global human rights of women.
1999 Trinity Lutheran Seminary
, (TLS) USA, Doctor of Divinity (DD honorary) for significant contribution to Christian Theology
1997 - Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
(LSTC), Chicago, USA, Community Award in recognition of global service with Lutheran world Federation.
1978 - University of Texas, Austin, USA, Best Student Award, in Humanities.
1975 - Kenya chapter of the United Nations Student Movement, Youth Award.
Global Fund for Women
The Global Fund for Women is the largest non-profit foundation in the world funding women's human rights. It was founded in 1987 by New Zealander Anne Firth Murray, and co-founded by Frances Kissling and Laura Lederer to fund women's initiatives around the world...
and has served on many social justice and international development boards. Dr. Kanyoro has written and published extensively in these areas.
In 2005, Dr. Kanyoro was one of the nominees for 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Background
Musimbi Kanyoro (née Angogo) was born 30 November, 1953 the fourth daughter of Dina Nyagoha and Thomas Angogo in South Nyanza Kenya. She attended the Alliance Girls High School and the University of Nairobi for her undergraduate work and did her Masters and PhD at the University of Texas in Austin. Musimbi was a visiting scholar in Hebrew and the Old Testament studies at Harvard Divinity School and obtained a Doctor of Ministry in Feminist Theology at the San Francisco Theological Seminary.Musimbi began her involvement with the global agenda of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
at the Third World Conference on Women in Nairobi, 1985 where she played a leading role on the national host committee. Moving to Geneva, Switzerland in 1988, she then went on to play a key role in the preparation for and execution of the NGO participation in the five major United Nations conferences of the 1990's: Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Earth Summit
Earth Summit
The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , also known as the Rio Summit, Rio Conference, Earth Summit was a major United Nations conference held in Rio de Janeiro from 3 June to 14 June 1992.-Overview:...
, Rio de Janeiro, 1992, World Conference on Human Rights
World Conference on Human Rights
The World Conference on Human Rights was held by the United Nations in Vienna, Austria, on 14 to 25 June 1993. It was the first human rights conference held since the end of the Cold War...
, Vienna, 1993, International Conference on Population and Development
International Conference on Population and Development
The United Nations coordinated an International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt from 5–13 September 1994. Its resulting Program of Action is the steering document for the United Nations Population Fund ....
(ICPD), Cairo, 1994, Commission for Social Development
Commission for Social Development
The Commission for Social Development is one of the ten functional commissions established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 1946 to advise and assist it in carrying its work....
World Summit for Social Development, Copenhagen, 1995, Fourth World Conference on Women
Fourth World Conference on Women
The United Nations convened the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace on 4-15 September 1995 in Beijing, China. 189 governments and more than 5,000 representatives from 2,100 non-governmental organizations participated in the Conference...
, Beijing, 1995.
Public Appearances
Musimbi Kanyoro appears regularly at various international forums. She was a speaker at the Wachovia’s Leadership Program, Conference for Women in Charlotte North Carolina where the Liberia’s President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf gave the keynote address.She recently spoke to the United National General Assembly and was a plenary speaker at the International AIDS Conference and chaired the largest panel on women and AIDS.
In October 2008 she was the Inaugural Nelson Mandela Lecturer at the University of South Australia in Adelaide, presented by the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre
The Global Fund for Women
As the largest public foundation investing exclusively in women-led human rights organizations, the Global Fund for Women has awarded nearly $100 million to 172 countries since 1987.The Global Fund for Women believes that social justice philanthropy acts as a catalyst for building a strong and independent civil society. Women’s leadership is seen to be vital for sustainable social change.
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
At the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Musimbi led the Population and Reproductive Health Program, a group committed to tackling major challenges in promoting a sustainable global population. The Foundation’s commitment to women’s reproductive healthReproductive health
Within the framework of the World Health Organization's definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health, or sexual health/hygiene, addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system...
and rights around the world and in the United States gave Dr. Kanyoro an opportunity to link grant making with the reality of program and project implementation as well as capacity building, advocacy and leadership interventions.
The Packard Foundation Population Program is dedicated to reproductive health and to the integration of those services with critical global health issues like HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
as well as with support services such as education, micro-credit and other skill-building opportunities for women and girls. Dr. Kanyoro guided these efforts, which reinforced her commitment to women and girls and to the fight against HIV/AIDS, a pressing reproductive health issue.
Dr. Kanyoro is passionate about empowering young women and her portfolio as director of the Population Program kept her engaged in this arena. A majority of women who need family planning services or access to safe and legal abortion are within their childbearing years, meaning many of them are young. Dr. Kanyoro and the Population Program she oversaw understood that to create a systemic change, civil society must foster women leaders and provide fora for them to keep reproductive health on the development agenda.
The World YWCA
As Secretary General (CEO) of the world’s largest women’s membership-driven organization that implements programs for 25 million women in 125 countries, Dr. Kanyoro oversaw the World YWCAWorld YWCA
The World YWCA is the umbrella organization of the global network of the YWCA, a movement of women working for social and economic change around the world. It advocates for young women’s leadership, peace, justice, human rights and sustainable development, both on a grassroots and global scale...
’s revival in regions such as Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She steered the organization’s policy to ensure 50% of the World YWCA’s international board is under the age of 30.
She led the YWCA’s involvement in the development and adoption of “NGO Charter of Accountability” with 10 other non-governmental organizations.
Dr. Kanyoro is credited with strengthening working relations among member associations as well as international relationships between the World YWCA and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, the private sector and other NGOs, leading to increased financial support.
Dr. Kanyoro helped to steer the YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
’s international response in the fight against HIV/AIDS, which includes programs in more than 70 countries. The World YWCA was elected to serve on the Coordinating Committee for the preparation of the International AIDS conference to take place in Mexico in 2008.
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF)
Between 1988 and 1998, as Head of the Department of Women in Church and Society, Dr. Kanyoro developed a plan of action for leadership development and advocacy of women for 166 member churches and the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. She is credited with using diplomacy to develop programs to enhance the development of women, promoting women’s rights and women’s education. During her time at LWF, Dr. Kanyoro co-founded the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians.
thanks
Education
Doctor of Ministry, San Francisco Theological Seminary (1999)Visiting Scholar, Hebrew, Greek and Exegesis, Harvard Divinity School (1981–1982)
Ph.D., Linguistics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA (1980)
MA, Linguistics, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA (1977)
BA, Linguistics, Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya (1975)
Honorary Degrees
2003 – Philippine Christian University, Manila, Doctorate of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in recognition of distinguished accomplishments as theologian, Church Leader, Civic Worker, Linguist and Author.1999 – Trinity Lutheran Seminary, (TLS) USA, Doctorate of Divinity (DD honorary) for significant contribution to Christian Theology.
Awards and recognition
2011 – Women’s Funding Network, USA, Changing the Face of Philanthropy Award2006 – Planet Africa, Toronto, Canada, Leadership Award in recognizing leadership, excellence and professionalism among people of African heritage.
2006 – Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham-Southern College
Birmingham–Southern College is a 4-year, private liberal arts college located three miles northwest of downtown Birmingham. Founded in 1856, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Approximately 1400 students from 30 states and 23 foreign countries attend the college...
, Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Women, Leadership and Human Dignity Award for significant contribution to advancement of human dignity.
2005 – Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Government, Presidential Award in recognition of international leadership
2005 – African Women's Development Fund
African Women's Development Fund
African Women’s Development Fund is a grant-making foundation which supports local, national and regional organisations in Africa working towards women’s empowerment...
, Accra, Ghana, Women of Substance Award
2005 – World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
and International AIDS Trust, USA, Global Leadership Award
2005 – Nominee 1000 Women for the Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
2005
2003 - Philippine Christian University
Philippine Christian University
The Philippine Christian University is a private university along Taft Avenue, Manila. It was founded in 1946 through the initiatives of the Laymen of the Evangelical Association of the Philippines. Originally named as Manila Union University, it was renamed as Philippine Christian College...
, Manila, Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) on recognition of distinguished accomplishments as theologian, Church Leader, Civic Worker, Linguistic and Author
2000 – Luther Institute, USA, The Wittenberg Award in recognition of her outstanding service to church and society.
1999 - Church Women United
Church Women United
Church Women United is a national ecumenical Christian women’s movement representing Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and other Christian women. Founded in 1941, this organization has more than 1,200 local and state units in the United States and Puerto Rico. CWU's members represent 26...
, (CWU) USA, Human Rights Award in recognition of commitment and dedication to global human rights of women.
1999 Trinity Lutheran Seminary
Trinity Lutheran Seminary
Trinity Lutheran Seminary is an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seminary located in Columbus, Ohio.-Background:In 1830, the German Theological Seminary of the Ohio Synod, later known as the Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary, was founded to meet the need for educating pastors in the...
, (TLS) USA, Doctor of Divinity (DD honorary) for significant contribution to Christian Theology
1997 - Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its degree programs include Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. It offers concentrations in urban ministry, Bible, environment,...
(LSTC), Chicago, USA, Community Award in recognition of global service with Lutheran world Federation.
1978 - University of Texas, Austin, USA, Best Student Award, in Humanities.
1975 - Kenya chapter of the United Nations Student Movement, Youth Award.
External links
- Global Fund for Women
- David & Lucile Packard Foundation
- World YWCA
- Ethical Globalization Initiative Dr. Kanyoro serves as a Member of the Board of the Ethical Globalization Initiative: Realizing Rights
- Legacy Dr. Kanyoro serves as an Advisory Member of Legacy. Dr. Kanyoro donated two hours of high-definition audiovisual life story interviews to Legacy.