Tirhani Manganyi is a seasoned development expert with over 20 years of experience managing complex, multi-country programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). She currently serves as a Programme Coordination Consultant for UN Women’s Generation Equality Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence (AC GBV), a global platform driving progress on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 for gender equality. Previously, Tirhani was the Programme Manager for the What Works to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls global flagship program, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). This initiative, led by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), spanned 14countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, and involved innovative partnerships between researchers and civil society organizations. Her responsibilities included performance monitoring, contract and risk management, financial oversight, donor reporting, and coordination of consortia and advisory boards with representatives from WHO, UN Women, and the World Bank.

Tirhani also led the implementation of femicide prevalence surveys funded by the Ford Foundation, conducted by SAMRC in 2017 and 2020. Beyond the VAWG field, she has held significant roles at World Vision International Southern Africa Regional Office, where she established the first resource mobilization unit, supported nine country offices in securing nearly $200 million over two years, and introduced a new M&E framework across 18 programs. Tirhaniholds a PhD in Agricultural Education and Communications from the University of Florida, USA, alongside certifications in process facilitation, project management, resource mobilization, and gender and development. Her work continues to inspire transformative change across communities and sectors.