Message from outgoing CI Director Professor Shanaaz Mathews

Women and children’s rights and health activist and researcher, Professor Shanaaz Mathews, photographed at her Inaugural lecture on 4 August 2022. Photo: Je’nine May

It is with mixed emotions that I inform friends, colleagues, and partners of the Children’s Institute (CI) that I am stepping down after 10 years as its director, at the end of March. My journey with the CI has been like none other, but all good things must come to an end.

When I took on this role in 2012, I already had it in mind that a decade would be a good point at which to pass the baton. My philosophy has always been that leadership change is important, as it brings fresh perspectives and ideas for an organisation to grow.

The CI has an amazing team of researchers and astute advocates that work tirelessly to ensure that children’s rights are realised in an ever-changing political landscape. The CI has taught me that research uptake to effect policy change is a slow process that requires careful consideration but that building coalitions and alliances are key in the social justice space. I celebrate the relationships and partnerships forged over my time as director – and I thank you all.

Now for a new chapter: I will remain within the University of Cape Town’s Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, deepening my research on violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC). The aim is to establish a hub to unravel the intersections of these problems, to contribute to building an evidence base of what works to prevent VAW and VAC, and to build the next generation of researchers to lead these areas of work.

I will be strengthening my international collaborations through my role as Co-Lead for  Evaluation within the research consortium of “What Works II” – a UK government funded, seven-year programme  focusing on  what works to prevent violence against women and children, at scale. This programme aims to unravel what it takes to scale up violence prevention efforts, and to translate proof-of-concept evidence into robust large-scale programmes, as well as design and test new violence prevention approaches in the Global South. The initiative also aims to shift global debates and raise the voice of the Global South as critical partners in the prevention of violence against women and children.

Finally, I am excited to share that Dr Wiedaad Slemming (University of the Witwatersrand) has been appointed as the new director of the CI, as of 1 April.

Dr Slemming is a paediatric physiotherapist and public health professional. She is an active researcher and academic, with experience in undergraduate and postgraduate health sciences education, curriculum development and technical advisory work. Her areas of expertise and research include maternal and child health, early childhood development, childhood disability and health systems strengthening.

She has extensive clinical and programmatic experience in these areas, as well as in the planning, development, implementation and review of related policies and programmes, both in South Africa and internationally. Dr Slemming currently serves on several maternal and child health and childhood disability technical and advisory groups at national and international levels.

The CI community can look forward to learning more about Dr Slemming, and to hearing from her, once officially in her new position.

I am confident that the CI will continue to excel at many levels.

Sincerely,
Professor Shanaaz Mathews