Work with The Elders Graça Machel is a founding member of The Elders with her late husband, Nelson Mandela. In October 2018, Graça Machel was appointed Deputy Chair of The Elders, together with Ban Ki-moon. One of the world’s foremost advocates for women’s and children's rights, Mrs Machel has travelled extensively with The Elders to meet leaders, experts and activists on numerous issues including: child marriage, gender-based violence and healthcare in Ethiopia in 2011 and 2019; universal health coverage in Tanzania in 2017; political dialogue and women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe in 2019; and numerous meetings at UN HQ in New York on the Sustainable Development Goals, women’s rights and youth engagement.