Melanie Verwoerd

Who is Melanie Verwoerd?

Melanie Verwoerd is a South Africa-born politician, ambassador and former director of UNICEF Ireland.

Verwoerd was elected as a Member of Parliament for the African National Congress during the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994. She was the youngest woman ever to be elected. She was re-elected in 1999. In 2001 she was appointed as South African Ambassador to Ireland a position she held until 2005. Between 2007 and 2011 she was the Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland. In 2007 Melanie was awarded with the Irish Tatler, International Woman of the Year award.