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.

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.

The collaborative partnership between UCT and Oxford, led by Cluver and her esteemed colleagues, has received international acclaim for its impact on child wellbeing. Their accolades include the UCT 2019 Social Responsiveness Award and the 2024 National Impact Case recognition by Universities South Africa, among others, highlighting their commitment to using research for meaningful change.

Cluver’s journey emphasises her unwavering mission to leverage science for the benefit of society’s most vulnerable groups. At both UCT and Oxford, she continues to influence policies that bolster families and safeguard the futures of children worldwide, ensuring that the most effective support reaches those who need it most.

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