In a momentous decision, the international jury for the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development has named Graça Machel as the 2025 laureate. Under Shivshankar Menon’s chairmanship, the panel recognized her unyielding commitment to human rights, self-rule, and empowering the underprivileged.
Machel’s pursuit of a just world has defined her path. Her work ensures dignity and equality for every individual, a mission that resonates deeply with the prize’s ethos.
Hailing from Mozambique’s countryside in 1945, her academic journey took her to Lisbon, fueling her revolutionary spirit. By 1973, she was immersed in the independence struggle. As post-independence Education Minister, she boosted school attendance dramatically—boys from 40% to 90%, girls to 75%.
Her international stature grew with the pivotal 1996 UN study on armed conflicts’ child victims, which redefined global responses and garnered prestigious honors.
Affiliated with The Elders, Girls Not Brides, UN advisory groups, and African child policy bodies, Machel chairs key development institutes. Her recent ventures, like the Graça Machel Trust and Dzivani Institute, target women’s empowerment and child health, earning her the 2018 WHO Gold Medal.
The jury lauds her transformative impact via education, nutrition, health, and humanitarian aid amid challenges. This honor cements her legacy in peace and progress.