Spotlight on Thandie Hlabana – Researcher, Mentor & Advocate for Gender and Water Justice

Today, we shine a light on Thandie Hlabana, a Mosotho woman from Lesotho, speaking Sesotho! A lecturer, researcher, mentor, and advocate for gender and water justice.

She identifies first as a mother, sister, daughter, friend, and mentor, roles that deeply shape her perspective on women’s struggles and resilience. As a passionate Sociology lecturer at the National University of Lesotho and a PhD researcher in Environmental Sciences and the Centre for Water Cultures at the University of Hull, UK, Thandie is using research as a tool for amplifying the voices of marginalised women and shaping gender-sensitive policies.

---

Research, Advocacy & Water Justice

Thandie’s current PhD research focuses on gendered water crises in Southern Africa. Using participatory, arts-based approaches, she highlights the realities of women who are often at the frontline of water struggles, balancing their own aspirations, family responsibilities, and community survival amidst climate change and systemic marginalisation.

Her work is rooted in a deep personal connection: in the women she works with, she sees herself, her mother, and her daughter. The paradox of water—as both a source of life and a life-threatening challenge—fuels her academic and activist pursuits.

Water is life. Water is life-threatening.

Her research aims to challenge global and local policies on climate change, water management, and gender inequality, ensuring that women’s voices shape water governance and climate resilience strategies.

---

Social Protection, Gender & Generational Relations

Beyond water governance, Thandie’s other research focuses on social protection, gender, and generational relations. She has published extensively on social policies, cash transfer programs, and the well-being of elderly and children in Southern Africa.

📚 Her Publications & Research:
🔗 Google Scholar Profile: See her work here

Her research is not just about theory—it is about action. Through her work, she seeks to confront inequalities and promote sustainable social change.

---

📚 A Book Thandie Loves – “Water is Life”

Thandie finds deep inspiration in “Water is Life: Women’s Human Rights in National and Local Water Governance in Southern and Eastern Africa” by Hellum & Kameri-Mbote.

This book aligns closely with her research on gendered water crises, exploring how water policies impact women’s lives, rights, and livelihoods across Southern and Eastern Africa.

For Thandie, water is life, but it is also life-threatening. Her research not only mirrors the themes in this book but also works to amplify women’s voices in the fight for equitable water policies.

---

💡 Why Thandie Inspires Us

Thandie is a brilliant researcher, a mentor, and a fierce advocate for African women. She is using her expertise to break silences, elevate marginalised voices, and challenge harmful policies.

✔ She is a leader in African research and policymaking. Through her work with Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCA), HelpAge International, WaterAID, UNDP, UNICEF, and the World Bank, she has contributed to critical policy discussions on social protection and gender justice.

✔ She is shaping African research institutions. She has served as President of the Population Association of Southern Africa (PASA) and Secretary General of the Union for African Population Studies (UAPS)—ensuring that African voices lead in global conversations on population, gender, and development.

✔ She is committed to mentoring the next generation. Whether through her students or research participants, she uplifts young women, guiding them through academic and career challenges while helping them claim their space in research and policy.

✔ She is bridging the gap between research and activism. By using participatory arts-based approaches in her research, she is ensuring that women’s lived realities are not just studied but heard and acted upon.

Thandie represents the power of African women in academia, policy, and advocacy, proving that research is a tool for justice and transformation.

---

🎓 Education & Academic Background

Thandie’s academic journey reflects her deep commitment to understanding and addressing social, environmental, and gender inequalities through interdisciplinary research. She has studied across four prestigious institutions, gaining expertise in sociology, development, population studies, and human geography.

📚 Educational Background:
🎓 PhD in Human Geography – University of Hull, UK (Current Research: Gendered Water Crises in Southern Africa)
🎓 MA in Sociology – Brown University, USA (Research Focus: Social Protection & Gender Relations)
🎓 MA in Development and Population Studies – University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Exploring Population Dynamics & Social Policies in Africa)
🎓 BA in Economics and Demography – National University of Lesotho (Foundational Studies in Economic Development & Population Trends)

---

How Thandie Embodies the IWD 2025 Theme: “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”

✔ She challenges gender inequalities. Her work on social protection, water crises, and climate change ensures that women’s lived realities shape national and global policies.
✔ She uplifts young women in academia. As a lecturer, researcher, and mentor, she is training and guiding the next generation of African women scholars.
✔ She fights for climate justice. Her research confronts water scarcity, policy failures, and structural inequalities, ensuring that women are at the forefront of climate solutions.
✔ She believes in the power of knowledge as action. She doesn’t just study issues—she uses research as a platform for change, transformation, and justice.

Thandie is a force in African research, gender advocacy, and climate justice, proving that African women belong at the centre of global policymaking and scholarship.

---

📢 Join the Celebration!

💬 Tag a woman in research or academia who inspires you!
📸 Like if you believe African women belong in leadership, research, and policy!

#AfricanQueensInk #IWD2025 #WomenInResearch #ForAllWomenAndGirls #ClimateJustice #GenderEquality #WaterIsLife #WomenInAcademia #SocialProtection #AfricanFeminism