Joanna Kerr

Joanna Kerr is a leading voice on women’s rights and a passionate advocate for human rights in the fight against poverty.

Joanna is based at ActionAid’s Secretariat in South Africa,prior to ActionAid, Joanna was Director of Policy for Oxfam Canada and Executive Director of the Association for Women's Rights in Development.

ActionAid International Chief Executive
International
My full profile

Three days into my job as Chief Executive of ActionAid International, I found myself sitting under a tree in southern Kenya, speaking with a group of Masai women.

Masai women are generally very oppressed. But these women were formidable leaders, formidable activists. Meeting them, seeing what they’ve achieved – that was truly inspiring for me.

And that's what ActionAid is about: giving everyone the opportunity to take charge of their lives.

Latest blogs

ActionAid board member could put UN Women on the "rights" track

When UN Women was created a few years back, the women’s movement heralded the advent of a long-overdue entity within the multilateral system with new money, clout, and the ability to advance gender...
by:
Joanna Kerr

From the ground up - how women build peace against the odds

Friday 21st September is International Peace Day, a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace and standing in solidarity with people affected by conflict and violence around the world.Many of...
by:
Joanna Kerr

Who runs the world?

Earlier this year I went to Haiti to meet ActionAid staff, our partners, political leaders and community members to get a sense of our programming two years on after the devastating earthquake....
by:
Joanna Kerr

Social justice, summer heat and the G8!

Earlier this week I was in Washington, DC to visit with staff, Board and partners of ActionAid USA, before heading up to New York to meet with some of the foundations that support ActionAid’s work....
by:
Joanna Kerr

Mulighederne spirer i krisens skygge?

I sidste måned tog jeg til Haiti for at møde ActionAids medarbejdere, vores partnere, politiske ledere og for at få en fornemmelse af vores programmer to år efter det ødelæggende jordskælv....
by:
Joanna Kerr

In celebration of unsung heroines

Meryl Streep just got an Oscar award for her spectacular performance of one the world’s most controversial female leaders.  A few months back, three women were given the Nobel Peace Prize...
Joanna (CEO) with Irene (board chair) with the women of Utter Pradesh
by:
Joanna Kerr

Não há Planeta B. Nós não podemos sobreviver business-as-usual na COP 17

As ações que serão tomadas na reunião climática da ONU em Durban África do Sul durante os próximos 10 dias pode definir o futuro das populações rurais em todo o continente Africano. Business-as-...
by:
Joanna Kerr

There's no Planet B. We can't survive business-as-usual at COP 17

The actions that will be taken at the UN climate talks in Durban South Africa over the next 10 days could define the future of rural people across the African continent. Business-as-usual could push...
by:
Joanna Kerr

Burma on the brink?

I’ve just come back from Myanmar – an exquisitely beautiful country filled with lush forests and golden pagodas - and some of ActionAid’s most innovative programming. I travelled with ActionAid...
(L-r) Aung San Suu Kyi, Emma Thompson, her son Tindy and Joanna Kerr
by:
Joanna Kerr

It's time to make this a HungerFREE world

It is World Food Week and between now and the end of the year the world’s leaders will meet for the G20 in Cannes and COP here in South Africa. There has never been a more crucial time to make a...
Gladys Wuangui, 61, Kieni Water Project, Central Kenya
by:
Joanna Kerr
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