Advancing Transgender Human Rights
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Monica Tabengwa
Chairperson
Monica Tabengwa is a human rights lawyer from Botswana. She holds a masters (LLM) degree from the University of Pretoria Centre for Human Rights. Experienced human rights advocate and defender.
Formerly, the Executive Director of Pan Africa ILGA, she is a social justice activist, feminist and legal professional with extensive experience in human rights and social justice advocacy, extending to regional and international human rights mechanisms. Also formerly Human Rights Watch LGBTI researcher conducting research and documentation of human rights violations, with specific focus on the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Africa. She has extensive experience in gender and rights-based training and strategic litigation.
She managed the DFID funded HIVOS LGBTI inclusion project until recently. Monica was one of the original founders of the Envisioning LGBTI project which was initially hatched when they met at the Outgames in Toronto in 2007. She has been a founder and supporter of all things LEGABIBO, an LGBTI organisation in Botswana which has been behind the campaign to decriminalize same-sex relations in Botswana.
Dumi Gatsha
Vice Chairperson
Dumi (they, them, their) is proudly Pan African and unequivocally non-binary queer feminist working on eliminating the barriers between grassroots experiences and global policy making. Dumi is the founder of Success Capital Organisation; a youth-led, managed and serving organisation working on strengthening and safeguarding LGBTIQ+ youth agency and autonomy in human rights and sustainable development whilst challenging power, privilege and patriarchy. Dumi serves on the IREX-USAID Global Youth Advisory Council, World Youth Forum for Democracy Board and appointed an African Youth Charter Hustler by the AU Youth Envoy.
Julian Tembani
Treasurer
Julian Tembani is a qualified Chartered Accountant (SA) that enjoys collaboration and co-creation when it comes to creating value-adding business solutions. He has been working within the financial services industry for the last 7 years. His currently working as a Reporting Specialist at a large listed financial services group, bridging the gap between financial and actuarial reporting. Prior to this he worked as a management consultant, acting as solution delivery lead on several large scale projects.
He will be joining the board of Gender Dynamix as the new Treasurer, where he hopes to use his unique set of skills to enable the organisation to continue to make a difference.
Thando Lukhozi
Secretary
Thando Lukhozi is a Transgender man who works as a Telesales Agent for Cell C in KZN Durban. Previously he worked for Legal and Tax and Mr Price Mobile. In March 2010 He did a course in HIV and AIDS Counselling with Life Line Durban as he was promised employment with a particular NGO based in Durban. After completion of the course he was forced to go back in the telesales industry as no employment was granted with the NGO. He has been in the Telesales industry for the past three years. Thando studied at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal Howard College, Doing a Bachelor’s degree majoring in Legal Studies and Political Science. Due to being disowned by his mother he was forced to drop out of school within the first year and find work.
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He has recently been granted a seat as Board Secretary with Gender Dynamix and seeks to help the Organisation saw new heights and better the lives of Gender non-conforming people to accessing proper Healthcare.
Patsy P. Alley
Additional Board Member
Patsy is a Women’s Rights, LGBTQI and Anti-Poverty activist from rural Northern Cape. A graduate from the University of Cape Town in Social Sciences, she has been a Public Servant in all spheres of Government - National, Provincial and Local Government collectively for 20 years. She is the Spokesperson for the MEC of Transport, Safety and Liaison in the Northern Cape.
Being on National Task Teams for Infrastructure Development, Employment Creation and Skills Development Projects has laid a firm foundation for the understanding of Government Process and Project Implementation - experience very valuable when it comes to establishing positive networks and interfaces between advocacy work and government policy and implementation.
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Representing her community on various Governmental and Political platforms, she is committed to raising awareness of the plight of marginalized groups and pushing for inclusion and equal recognition in the realizing and affirming of human rights for all. Her current obsession is driving the inclusion of LGBTQI people in Job Creation and Skills Development Programmes as well as absorption into formal employment.
A living body protester against toxic patriarchy and survivor of homophobic violence, she pulls up folding chairs at every forum where Gender Based Violence is on the table. An addict in recovery, she finds her strength and resilience, daily, in small victories and the knowledge that Grace births Purpose.
Costa Sibanda
Additional Board Member
Bio to follow...