NEWLY ELECTED PASA PRESIDENT DETERMINED TO TAKE POPULATION RESEARCH TO NEW HEIGHTS

• The 2025 Population Association of Southern Africa Conference has drawn to a close with a commitment to make sure the next conference will encompass more representation from the Southern African Development Community.
• The newly elected president, Dr Lutendo Malisha, emphasised the importance of “beefing up” the organisation.
• Dr Malisha called on the delegates to ensure that the objectives, impact, and work of the Population Association of Southern Africa do not go unnoticed.

The Population Association of Southern Africa’s newly elected president, Dr Lutendo Malisha, is determined to take the issues related to population studies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to greater heights.

Dr Malisha was elected president at the 15th Population Association of Southern Africa Conference (PASA) held in Pretoria from 17 – 19 September 2025.

The Population Association of Southern Africa is a non-governmental organisation that promotes the research, study, and understanding of population issues in the southern Africa region.

It also stimulates and fosters collaboration among researchers and institutions involved in the study of population issues in the SADC region, as well as encouraging interest in the topics at the different government levels, in national and international organisations and scientific bodies, and in the SADC communities.

In closing remarks to the conference audience, the new president called for collectivism and cooperation among delegates to ensure that the objectives, impact, and work of the Population Association of Southern Africa do not go unnoticed.

The Population Association of Southern Africa was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, unable to host its regular conference.

“Over the years, the Population Association of Southern Africa has been hardest hit and affected by the struggle to raise funds,” Dr Malisha noted.

“However, through partnerships and networking, the Population Association of Southern Africa is still alive, and we have a role to find more partners who will partner and help in funding demography and population work.

“We also have a duty to beef up our participation and grow the Population Association of Southern Africa as an organisation.”

In closing, Dr Malisha emphasised that, given that the Population Association of Southern Africa is a regional organisation, there is an expectation that the next conference will show an improved regional representation.

While appreciating the confidence bestowed on herself and her fellow council members, Dr Malisha highlighted that it is through active participation and involvement in various activities, including webinars and workshops, that the work of the Population Association of Southern Africa would grow and be recognised.

“We have a responsibility as the collective to work harder in promoting demography and population knowledge and not wait for the next Population Association of Southern Africa Conference in two years,” Dr Malisha concluded.

The 2025 Population Association of Southern Africa Conference, which was held under the theme “Sustainable development for the future”, provided a platform to emerging and established researchers, as well as programme and advocacy specialists, to showcase their work and contribute to the research and innovation in the space of population and demography.

The conference also provided a platform for participants to share ongoing research outputs and engage in dialogue on demography and population matters, and helped build capacity through providing a platform where emerging researchers could share their knowledge with other students, policymakers, government officials, and practitioners.

Amongst the partners who attended the conference were the Department of Social Development, the United Nations Population Fund, and Statistics South Africa.