Professor Sibusiso Mkwananzi is an Associate Professor and Senior Researcher in Climate and Health at Wits RHI, South Africa. She is a qualified dentist and holds a PhD in Demography and Population Studies. Her scholarly expertise spans population dynamics, sexual and reproductive health and rights, multilevel quantitative methods, and the intersections between climate change and health.

She has led and contributed to multidisciplinary research addressing adolescent pregnancy, school dropout, gender-based violence, youth health inequities, and climate-related disruptions to health and social systems, with a strong focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Her work integrates advanced quantitative analysis with policy-relevant inquiry and community-engaged research approaches.

Prof Mkwananzi serves as a Commissioner on South Africa’s National Planning Commission within the Presidency, where she provides technical advice on monitoring and evaluation of the National Development Plan, youth development, gender equality, health, and climate change. She also contributes to several national and international technical expert committees, including national adolescent pregnancy technical working group and the Commission on Population and Development expert group.

She is a frequent speaker at international conferences on sexual and reproductive health and rights, adolescent health, gender-based violence, and climate and health, and has published widely in these fields. Her work is grounded in rigorous population research, decolonial and feminist scholarship, and a sustained commitment to translating evidence into equitable and context-responsive policy, particularly for adolescents and young people across Africa.