Nokuthula Mjwara | Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa

• Undergraduate: Bachelor in Social Sciences (majoring in Criminology and Psychology) at the University of KwaZulu Natal (Howard College, South Africa.2009)
• Bachelor in Social Sciences Honors in Gender and Transformation ( University of Cape Town, South Africa.2020)

Previous experience

Miss Nokuthula (Thuli) Mjwara is a Process Coordinator at the Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM) Western Cape. With the vision of addressing religious-based homophobia, she works at the intersections of gender, religion, and human rights by facilitating processes that are community-based. In partnership with civil society partners, she also coordinates events that promote awareness of diversity, embodied leadership, and address gender-based violence.
Thuli is a 2022 Outright Action International Religion fellow, a seasoned and SETA accredited training facilitator, with vast experience having served on local, Provincial, and National forums advocating for the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI+) communities. With over 13 years’ of work experience, she has worked with a range of marginalized communities. These varying from youth-at risk, sentenced offenders to youth living with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ youth and their families. In relation to HIV prevention and vaccine research, she has been a member of the Groote Schuur clinical research site community advisory board (CAB) from 2018, serving as its chairperson from 2020-2022. During that term of office, she also served on the secretariat of the Core CAB.

She is currently focusing on addressing conversion practises in Africa and working within faith advocacy to creating inclusive spaces of faith for all.

Academic fields of interest:

• Human rights for sexual and gender minorities,
• Sexual reproductive health rights (specifically for Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women)
• Queer theology

Position prior to the programme

I am a Social Justice Practitioner- a queer activist.