Professor Lucie Cluver honoured abroad for transforming the lives of vulnerable children
Professor Lucie Cluver, a distinguished academic jointly affiliated with the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Oxford, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List.
The recognition honours her outstanding contributions to children's wellbeing and global public health.
Professor Cluver serves as an honorary professor in UCT's Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, and as a professor of Child and Family Social Work at Oxford. For over 14 years, she has co-led pioneering interdisciplinary research alongside Associate Professor Elona Toska, director of UCT's Accelerate Research Hub, and Professor Cathy Ward, head of UCT's Safety and Violence Initiative and the Centre for Social Science Research.
"I am honoured and amazed at being given this award. Every impact that we have had is because of an incredible team of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and colleagues across South Africa and the UK who are dedicated to improving the lives of children," said Cluver.
"Being at the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town gives us an incredible privilege: the academic freedom to pursue research that can directly help the most vulnerable."
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Lucie Cluver, an honorary professor at UCT and Oxford. Image: UCT University of Cape Town (UCT) honorary Professor Lucie Cluver, also a professor at the University of Oxford, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King's Birthday Honours List for her contributions to children's wellbeing and global public health. Cluver, in collaboration with colleagues at UCT and Oxford, has led impactful interdisciplinary research improving the lives of children and adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. Key initiatives include the UKRI GCRF Accelerating Achievement for Africa's Adolescents Hub and the Global Parenting Initiative. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she co-led the Covid-19 Emergency Parenting Response, reaching over 210 million people globally. Driven by a mission to support vulnerable children through science, Cluver's UCT-Oxford partnership has received numerous awards for its impact on policy and practice. According to UCT, Cluver has co-led groundbreaking interdisciplinary research for over 14 years across UCT and Oxford. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading She has worked closely with Associate Professor Elona Toska, director of UCT's Accelerate Research Hub, Professor Cathy Ward, director of UCT's Safety and Violence Initiative and the Centre for Social Science Research. 'I am honoured and amazed at being given this award. Every impact that we have had is because of an incredible team of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and colleagues – across South Africa and the UK – who are dedicated to improving the lives of children. Being at the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town gives us an incredible privilege: the academic freedom to pursue research that can directly help the most vulnerable,' said Cluver. Between 2019 to 2024, Cluver led the UKRI GCRF Accelerating Achievement for Africa's Adolescents Hub, a £20 million research initiative based at Oxford and co-led with Toska at UCT. 'In 2022, in collaboration with Professor Ward, she became co-principal investigator of the Global Parenting Initiative, which provides free, evidence-based support to parents worldwide to prevent child sexual abuse, exploitation and family violence. The initiative spans leading universities, foundations and charities, aiming to reach the world's most vulnerable families with accessible and effective parenting tools,' UCT said. 'In 2002, I was a social worker in Nyanga, trying to help mothers and children who were dying of HIV/AIDS. I asked local charities what they needed, and to my astonishment they said 'research': they wanted to know what would be the most effective and affordable ways to protect children. Now we work with governments, UN agencies and donors, to answer the same question, and find solutions for millions of children who deserve the most effective support,' added Cluver. UCT explained that the UCT-Oxford partnership led by Cluver, Toska, Ward and Lachman has been globally recognised for its impact.
IOL News
a day ago
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Professor Lucie Cluver honoured with OBE for contributions to child wellbeing
Professor Lucie Cluver, honorary professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and professor of Child and Family Social Work at the University of Oxford, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List Image: UCT In recognition of her unparalleled dedication to children's wellbeing and public health, Professor Lucie Cluver has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List. An honorary professor at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and a professor of Child and Family Social Work at the University of Oxford, Cluver's groundbreaking research over the past 14 years has made significant strides in improving the lives of children and adolescents across sub-Saharan Africa. Professor Cluver, in collaboration with Associate Professor Elona Toska, director of UCT's Accelerate Research Hub, and Professor Cathy Ward, director of UCT's Safety and Violence Initiative and the Centre for Social Science Research, has been a leading force in interdisciplinary studies that address the multifaceted challenges facing vulnerable children. Her enthusiasm and collaborative spirit shine through in her reflections on the award: 'I am honoured and amazed at being given this award. Every impact that we have had is because of an incredible team of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and colleagues – across South Africa and the UK – who are dedicated to improving the lives of children,' she stated. From 2019 to 2024, Cluver took the helm of the UKRI GCRF Accelerating Achievement for Africa's Adolescents Hub, an ambitious £20 million initiative aimed at identifying and scaling effective strategies to enhance outcomes for young Africans. Through this hub, Cluver has successfully brought together a diverse group of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, creating an ecosystem for innovative solutions to address youth challenges in the region. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Additionally, in 2022, she co-led the Global Parenting Initiative, which seeks to offer free, evidence-based parenting support worldwide with the aim of preventing child sexual abuse and family violence. This initiative connects leading institutions and charities globally to provide parents with the tools needed to create safer and more nurturing environments for their children. Cluver's work was especially vital during the Covid-19 pandemic, where she spearheaded the Covid-19 Emergency Parenting Response alongside UCT's Centre for Social Science Research. Supported by WHO, UNICEF, and PEPFAR, this initiative delivered critical resources to over 210 million people across 198 countries, directly influencing parenting during a tumultuous time and being adopted by 34 national governments. Reflecting on her journey, Cluver recalls her early contributions as a social worker in Nyanga, where she learned the crucial need for research in addressing the complexities surrounding HIV/AIDS. 'In 2002, I was a social worker in Nyanga, trying to help mothers and children who were dying of HIV/AIDS. I asked local charities what they needed, and to my astonishment they said 'research': they wanted to know what would be most effective and affordable ways to protect children,' described Cluver. This initial insight has propelled her career, as she now collaborates with governments and global agencies to implement effective interventions targeting vulnerable populations.
IOL News
3 days ago
- IOL News
Professor Lucie Cluver honoured abroad for transforming the lives of vulnerable children
Professor Lucie Cluver, a distinguished academic jointly affiliated with the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of Oxford, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours List. The recognition honours her outstanding contributions to children's wellbeing and global public health. Professor Cluver serves as an honorary professor in UCT's Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, and as a professor of Child and Family Social Work at Oxford. For over 14 years, she has co-led pioneering interdisciplinary research alongside Associate Professor Elona Toska, director of UCT's Accelerate Research Hub, and Professor Cathy Ward, head of UCT's Safety and Violence Initiative and the Centre for Social Science Research. "I am honoured and amazed at being given this award. Every impact that we have had is because of an incredible team of PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and colleagues across South Africa and the UK who are dedicated to improving the lives of children," said Cluver. "Being at the University of Oxford and University of Cape Town gives us an incredible privilege: the academic freedom to pursue research that can directly help the most vulnerable."
