Winnie Byanyima

thumb|The billionaire boom is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a failing economic system. Winifred Byanyima (born 13 January 1959) is a Ugandan-born aeronautical engineer, politician, and diplomat. She is the executive director of UNAIDS, effective November 2019. Before that, served as the executive director of Oxfam International, to which she was appointed in May 2013. Also, she served as the director of the Gender Team in the Bureau for Development Policy at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) from 2006. Quotes The billionaire boom is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a failing economic system. The people who make our clothes, assemble our phones and grow our food are being exploited to ensure a steady supply of cheap goods, and swell the profits of corporations and billionaire investors. Richest 1 percent bagged 82 percent of wealth created last year - poorest half of humanity got nothing, Oxfam International (22 January 2018) It’s hard to find a political or business leader who doesn’t say they are worried about inequality. It’s even harder to find one who is doing something about it. Many are actively making things worse by slashing taxes and scrapping labor rights. Richest 1 percent bagged 82 percent of wealth created last year - poorest half of humanity got nothing, Oxfam International (22 January 2018) People are ready for change. They want to see workers paid a living wage; they want corporations and the super-rich to pay more tax; they want women workers to enjoy the same rights as men; they want a limit on the power and the wealth which sits in the hands of so few. They want action. Richest 1 percent bagged 82 percent of wealth created last year - poorest half of humanity got nothing, Oxfam International (22 January 2018) As the Executive Director of UNAIDS, I lead the work of the United Nations to tackle AIDS. I’m also someone who has lost family members to AIDS. This is personal. Both my own family experience and our collective experience at the United Nations have highlighted the same key lesson: the struggle to beat AIDS is inseparable from the struggle for women’s rights and from the struggle against all forms of discrimination. AIDS can be beaten, but it will only be beaten if we take on the social and economic injustices that perpetuate it and spur more scientific innovations to address the real needs of women and girls and people living with and vulnerable to HIV. Press statement on the Zero Discrimination Day, Message from the UNAIDS Executive Director on Zero Discrimination Day and International Women’s Day, UNAIDS Worldwide, AIDS remains the biggest killer of women aged 15–49 years. To end AIDS by 2030, we must end gender-based violence, inequality and insecurity and we must ensure that women and girls have equal access to education, health and employment. We need to transform our societies so that no one is second class and everyone’s human rights are respected. AIDS cannot be beaten while marginalized communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people, people who inject drugs and sex workers, live in fear of the state or of socially sanctioned violence and abuse. Beating AIDS depends on tackling all forms of discrimination. I want to thank all the brave and determined social justice movements who are the true leaders in this work. I salute you. Press statement on the Zero Discrimination Day, Message from the UNAIDS Executive Director on Zero Discrimination Day and International Women’s Day, UNAIDS Feminism, human rights and zero discrimination are values deeply rooted across the world: they express our humanity, our recognition that I am because you are. And they are central to the struggle to beat AIDS. Let us beat AIDS. It can be done. Press statement on the Zero Discrimination Day, Message from the UNAIDS Executive Director on Zero Discrimination Day and International Women’s Day, UNAIDS Those are the jobs we've been told about, that globalization is bringing jobs. The quality of the jobs matter. It matters. These are not jobs of dignity. In many countries, workers no longer have a voice. They are not allowed to unionize, they are not allowed to negotiate for salaries. So we're talking about jobs, but jobs that bring dignity. We're talking about health care. The World Bank has told us that 3.4 billion people who earn $5.50 a day are on the verge, are just a medical bill away from sinking into poverty. They don't have health care. They are just a crop failure away from sinking back into poverty. They don't have crop insurance. So don't tell me about low levels of unemployment. You are counting the wrong things. You're not counting dignity of people. You're counting exploited people. Spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2019 When the world’s richest 1% own as much as the poorest 50%, we have a problem. “I am passionate about equality for women.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “I would not ask a woman to give more. I would say: gain from what you give.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “Recognise and reward women's unpaid work.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “Raising my son has been my biggest achievement so far.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “I don't get it all right. Something must be giving.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “I don't want to be measured by the standard of doing one thing.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “That I fought injustice.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “I would like to see no woman suffering violence especially from intimate partners.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “No child facing violence.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “Equal opportunity for all girls and boys.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) “A world where we are all equal, valued the same way.” Winnie Byanyima: Why I live to fight injustice theeastafrican.co.ke(March 06, 2026) : “We live in a complex world, a challenging world. I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality, and I continue to do so. It's maybe a tough environment, but I do not change my position. I don't alter it at all.” Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality podcasts.apple.com (March 31, 2026) We live in a complex world, a challenging world.” Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality podcasts.apple.com (March 31, 2026) “I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality, and I continue to do so.” Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality podcasts.apple.com (March 31, 2026) “It's maybe a tough environment, but I do not change my position.” Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality podcasts.apple.com (March 31, 2026) “I don't alter it at all.” Winnie Byanyima, head of UNAids: I am somebody who fights for social justice and gender equality podcasts.apple.com (March 31, 2026) “Every hour they delay to do that is a cost on his life because his condition is not under control.” Winnie Byanyima says husband Besigye ‘eats little, unable to walk’ theeastafrican.co.ke (January 22, 2026 January 22, 2026 ) “He is a political prisoner, and he's being treated in a way that is compromising his health right now.” Winnie Byanyima says husband Besigye ‘eats little, unable to walk’ theeastafrican.co.ke (January 22, 2026 January 22, 2026 ) “They are denying him health care. They want to kill him.” Winnie Byanyima says husband Besigye ‘eats little, unable to walk’ theeastafrican.co.ke (January 22, 2026 January 22, 2026 ) “Public science became private assets. Medicines became globally protected monopolies.” https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/covid-taught-us-equity-what-needed-winnie-byanyima-speaks-global-health-soas .soas.ac.uk (June 10, 2026) “The rules themselves must change.” https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/covid-taught-us-equity-what-needed-winnie-byanyima-speaks-global-health-soas .soas.ac.uk (June 10, 2026) “You do not have to kill every opponent. You make examples of a few.” Byanyima Says Insults Are No Crime — Court Files Show a Treason Trial and a SIM Charge explorer.co.ug (October 8, 2026) “A cabbage is good for the table, you can eat it. But the things he does are cruel, are criminal.” Byanyima Says Insults Are No Crime — Court Files Show a Treason Trial and a SIM Charge explorer.co.ug (October 8, 2026) “Let them come for me too.” Byanyima Says Insults Are No Crime — Court Files Show a Treason Trial and a SIM Charge explorer.co.ug (October 8, 2026) “Spiralling inequality won’t fix itself.” Spiralling inequality won’t fix itself. We need a movement aljazeera.com (23 Jan 2025) “We need a movement.” Spiralling inequality won’t fix itself. We need a movement aljazeera.com (23 Jan 2025) She warned that extreme wealth concentration threatens democracy, worsens social unrest, and deepens the climate crisis. Spiralling inequality won’t fix itself. We need a movement aljazeera.com (23 Jan 2025) She called for affordable medicines, fairer taxation, debt reform, and alternatives to the existing global economic order. Spiralling inequality won’t fix itself. We need a movement aljazeera.com (23 Jan 2025) “I have no hope.” ‘No hope’: wife’s fears for Ugandan opposition leader facing trial for treachery The guardian (January 30, 2025) “I'm so concerned about the arbitrariness and the way their rules around him keep changing.” No hope’: wife’s fears for Ugandan opposition leader facing trial for treachery The guardian (January 30, 2025) She described concerns about his safety, prison conditions, access to visitors, and the fairness of the military court proceedings. No hope’: wife’s fears for Ugandan opposition leader facing trial for treachery The guardian (January 30, 2025) Without U.S. funding, people die.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com ( March 11, 2025) “Without global collaboration, people die.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com ( March 11, 2025) “Personally I am devastated. Appalled. Shaken and disgusted. I don't have the English words to use.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “But I can't run away. I told myself I'm going to fix it. I need to take my gloves off.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “We already lost 12 million people we should not have lost if ARVs [antiretrovirals] had been shared immediately around the world instead of held on to by the pharmaceutical companies making money.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “Health is a human right, no one should die if we can prevent it.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “African countries are struggling. Some much more than others. But they are not lying down and dying, and they are not holding out a begging bowl for more aid.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “We need debt justice, we need tax justice.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “The aid model cannot stand any more, it's too unpredictable, the future has to be less about charity and more about international solidarity.” UNAids chief ‘shaken and disgusted’ by US cuts that will mean millions more deaths the guardians (July 4, 2025) “Every human being is a leader in some way.” Crowned in Purpose, Rooted in Service _ A Conversation With Winifred Byanyima civsourceafrica.com(September 17, 2025) “We must liberate ourselves from an inferiority complex.” Crowned in Purpose, Rooted in Service _ A Conversation With Winifred Byanyima civsourceafrica.com(September 17, 2025) “I want to be a leader who empowers other leaders.” Crowned in Purpose, Rooted in Service _ A Conversation With Winifred Byanyima civsourceafrica.com(September 17, 2025) “The opportunity is now for Africa to look inward and rise.” Crowned in Purpose, Rooted in Service _ A Conversation With Winifred Byanyima civsourceafrica.com(September 17, 2025) “In the military court, we do not expect to get justice.” Wife of 'abducted' Ugandan opposition figure says he won't get justice reuters.com (November 25, 2024) “We can only wait for them to appear in a civilian court.” Wife of 'abducted' Ugandan opposition figure says he won't get justice reuters.com (November 25, 2024) “to stop and reflect, because this solution of criminalising and eliminating opposition through criminalisation is wrong” Wife of 'abducted' Ugandan opposition figure says he won't get justice reuters.com (November 25, 2024) “They should be speaking out about a government abducting an opposition leader from another country. That should be condemned.” Wife of 'abducted' Ugandan opposition figure says he won't get justice reuters.com (November 25, 2024) “The data in this report shows that ‘The Path that ends AIDS’ is not a mystery, but it is a choice. It is a political and a financial choice.” UNAIDS Press Conference on New Report 13 July 2023 unognewsroom.org (July 13, 2023) “Eastern and southern Africa is also the region where resources have been well deployed and we see that there, since 2010 to now, new infections have been reduced by 57 per cent. It’s the region with the sharpest decline in new infections.” UNAIDS Press Conference on New Report 13 July 2023 unognewsroom.org (July 13, 2023) “20.8 million people, or rather 20.8 million lives, have been saved through antiretroviral therapy since 2000. The number of people on treatment worldwide has risen four times since 2010, from 7.7 million to 29.8 million in 2022.” UNAIDS Press Conference on New Report 13 July 2023 unognewsroom.org (July 13, 2023) “In 2022, AIDS claimed a life every minute. It’s still a killer and sometimes the number one killer in some countries, such as Mozambique.” UNAIDS Press Conference on New Report 13 July 2023 unognewsroom.org (July 13, 2023) “Every single week, 4,000 adolescent girls and young women were newly infected. 3,100 of those are from Sub-Saharan Africa. So, it’s a Sub-Saharan crisis.” UNAIDS Press Conference on New Report 13 July 2023 unognewsroom.org (July 13, 2023) “I'm not surprised, but I'm disappointed. And I to condemn this bill, and ask the government, the Parliament of Uganda to repeal it.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “Because it is going to hurt the HIV response in Uganda.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “We're seeing people fleeing the country fearing for their lives. And that should not happen, no Ugandan should fear for their life and have to run away.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “So, this bill is setting us back on our struggle to end HIV.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “And thirdly, it's a violation of Human Rights.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “They need to pay attention to those issues that are hurting Ugandans, repeal this law and give every Ugandan their chance to access services.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “They shouldn't distract the public's attention by attacking vulnerable people.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “They should address the difficult issues of poverty, fighting poverty and inequality in Uganda.” transcripts transcripts.cnn.com (May 30, 2023) “You don’t just bump into being a leader of people. It is a process of learning, experimenting, building up things so you know how to do it; not an idler’s job you bump into.” Gen Muhoozi should find other things to do not lead the country- Byanyima nilepost.co.ug (December 30, 2023) “President Museveni has done a great job, he is becoming weaker each day, but the people surrounding him, those he trusts are family etc. Hence we must fight to restore this country, let us not waste time on MK (Muhoozi Kainerugaba), let them find that child something else to do and leave matters of running this country alone.” Gen Muhoozi should find other things to do not lead the country- Byanyima nilepost.co.ug (December 30, 2023) But there is good news: by equalizing, we can end AIDS.” https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2022/november/2022-world-aids-day-message-from-executive-director-winnie-byanyima(November 2022) We will not end AIDS unless we can end it for everyone.” https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2022/november/2022-world-aids-day-message-from-executive-director-winnie-byanyima(November 2022) We will not end AIDS unless we can end it for everyone.” https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2022/november/2022-world-aids-day-message-from-executive-director-winnie-byanyima(November 2022) This is not right. Now is not the time to step away, it is the time to step up.” https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2022/november/2022-world-aids-day-message-from-executive-director-winnie-byanyima(November 2022) External links Winnie Byanyima Winnie Byanyima, Biography | Oxfam International Category:Women politicians in Uganda Category:Aerospace engineers Category:Aviators Category:Political leaders Category:Diplomats of Uganda Category:Ambassadors Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:United Nations officials Category:Soldiers Category:Revolutionaries Category:Women's rights activists Category:HIV/AIDS activists Category:Women aviators Category:Women activists from Uganda Category:Women engineers from Uganda