Graça Machel has been awarded the 2018 World Prize for Integrated Development for her significant social justice achievements and tireless work on behalf of women and children.

According to a statement from the sponsors NIRAS, an international multidisciplinary consultancy, “Machel is recognised for her leadership of the Graça Machel Trust, a Pan-African advocacy organisation focused on child health and nutrition, education, women’s economic and financial empowerment, leadership and good governance”.

“Graça Machel is a remarkable human being and an outstanding example of the impact of integration in international development ,” says Lindsay Falvey, Chair of the World Prize Selection Panel. “ In addition to her humanitarian work , the Committee was impressed by her leadership of the trust in integrating nations, programmes and people while fulfilling its mission of ‘multiplying the faces and amplifying the voices of African women and children’. In particular, the support given to women entrepreneurs and their Pan-African networks has delivered significant contributions to social and economic change across the continent.”

The World Prize is awarded to individuals or organisations exemplifying an outstanding integrated approach in the field of international development. Machel is the second Laureate, after the late Dr Hans Rosling, founder of Gapminder.

Machel will receive her accolade and its €20,000 purse on the 12th of September at the South African Innovation Summit where the best of African and global innovators will showcase their exceptional talents, innovations and ideas.