The Rising Emma Theofelu: Africa’s youngest Cabinet Minister wins UN Award
Meet Namibia’s Emma Theofelus the 2022 United Nations Population Award individual laureate, who is also one of Africa’s youngest cabinet ministers and Member of Parliament. She is only 26.
On a continent with some of the world’s oldest political leaders, Emma Inamutila Theofelus, is one of the very few African youths in the political arena.
She was appointment Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, in March 2020, just as the Covid-19 hit the country, throwing her into the deep end as her job entails delivering public communication on all the preventative measures needed to mitigate the impact of the virus.
Fast forwards 2022, and at just 26 years old, Theofelus was announced as the youngest-ever United Nations Population Award individual laureate.
Theofelus received the individual award for her work advocating for women’s empowerment and adolescent sexual and reproductive health in Namibia.
As one of Africa’s youngest cabinet ministers, she has used her youth-friendly perspective, and her experience as an advocate for sexual and reproductive health, to directly address the country’s adolescents.
As a deputy minister, she led the country’s public communication campaign on COVID-19 preventions in Namibia, and as a Member of Parliament, her motion enabled feminine hygiene products to be identified as a tax-free commodity.
A youth activist since her teens, Theofelus symbolises a new trend towards a younger political leadership profile in a continent where some 60% of the population is under 25 years old, but where many Presidents are among the oldest in the world, some even changing the constitution to cling to power.
Africa is often referred to as the Rising Continent. In addition to its natural resources and beauty, its young demographic is considered one of Africa’s most valuable next generational assets.
A lawyer by profession, Theofelus is fast emerging as a role model among her peers.
Prior to her appointment as Minister, she was a member of the Namibia chapter of AfriYAN, a regional youth-led organisation, where she led pioneering efforts to fight teen pregnancy and protect young people’s sexual and reproductive health.
The UN Population Award has honoured individuals and institutions for their outstanding contributions to population, development and reproductive health since 1983. The committee for the award in 2022 is chaired by Amal Mudallali, Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations, and is composed of representatives of nine other UN Member States. The United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs represents the UN Secretary-General in the committee, and UNFPA serves as its secretariat.
Each year, the Committee for the United Nations Population Award honours an individual and/or institution in recognition of outstanding contributions to population and reproductive health issues and solutions. The Award was established by the General Assembly in 1981, in resolution 36/201, and was first presented in 1983.
It consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a monetary prize. The Committee for the United Nations Population Award is composed of 10 UN Member States, with United Nations Secretary-General and UNFPA Executive Director serving as ex-officio members. Nominations for the award are accepted through 31 December of each year. UNFPA serves as its secretariat.
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
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