Zonke Majodina (died 10 July 2024) was a South African academic, clinical psychologist and human rights worker.
Zonke Majodina | |
---|---|
Member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee | |
In office 2013–2021 | |
Personal details | |
Born | South Africa |
Died | 10 July 2022 Johannesburg |
Alma mater | University of South Africa |
Profession | Clinical psychologist |
Education
editMajodina studied at the University of South Africa where she graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree. She went on to the University of London where she studied for a master's degree in Philosophy degree. She obtained a doctorate degree in clinical psychology from the University of Cape Town.[1][2]
Career
editDue to apartheid in South Africa, she was in exile in Ghana for 18 years. While there, she worked as a Clinical Psychologist and lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School. She spent a further 2 years as a Visiting Fellow at the Refugees Studies Center of the Oxford University.[3] Majodina served with the Public Services Commission of South Africa for a while before she was invited by the University of the Witwatersrand to develop a Master's level programme in Forced Migration Studies in 1998. This is now established as the African Centre for Migration Studies.[1] In 2022, she was Visiting adjunct professor at the University of the Witwatersrand. She was also a member of the Magistrates’ Commission of South Africa.[3] Following this, she was appointed a part-time Commissioner with the South African Human Rights Commission where she worked on extending human rights protection for migrants as well as promoting the right to equality in principle.[2][4] She served for 8 years as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC). In addition, she served as Chairperson of the UNHRC for two years.[1][5][6]
In her role as visiting professor at the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, she was instrumental on the review of the Equality Court system in partnership with the South African Human Rights Commission. She was also on the board of directors of the Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA).[2]
Death
editMajodina died at the age of 79 years in Johannesburg following a short illness. She had two sons, Mandla and Kojo.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Zonke MAJODINA". CORA. Collective for the Renewal of Africa. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b c Lee-Anne Bruce (17 July 2024). "2024 - Tribute to Dr Zonke Majodina". www.wits.ac.za. Centre for Applied Legal Studies. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Zonke Majodine -SHORT BIOGRAPHY". Africa Century Conference. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "SAHRC mourns death of its former deputy chair Dr Zonke Majodina". TimesLive. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Media Statement: SAHRC Mourns the Passing of Former Deputy Chairperson Dr Zonke Majodina". www.sahrc.org.za. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ "UN HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY BODY REFORM - 20-21 JUNE 2011" (PDF). Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria. Retrieved 31 July 2024.