Graça Machel

The rise

A freedom fighter and Mozambique's first education minister, Machel widened access to schooling in a newly independent nation.

What they did

Her landmark UN report on the impact of armed conflict on children reshaped global policy, and through The Elders she has championed children's and women's rights worldwide.

The full picture

Uniquely the former first lady of two nations — Mozambique and South Africa — she has guarded her own independent moral voice.

Why it matters

Machel proves leadership can be exercised through advocacy, measured by the most vulnerable a society protects.

What citizens said

Afrobarometer Round 9 (2021–2023) — Mozambique

% who say 'trust somewhat' or 'trust a lot' · Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 891