United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director, Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, is in Zimbabwe from January 12 to 16 on a mission to strengthen national efforts to advance gender equality.
She is accompanied by the UN Women Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Ms Adama Moussa.
UN Women said the visit is aimed at reaffirming the agency’s commitment to Zimbabwe, deepening partnerships with government and civil society, and mobilising support to sustain gains in women’s rights.
According to the agency, the strategic engagement will also seek to safeguard and accelerate progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
During the five-day visit, Gumbonzvanda is expected to advocate stronger integration of global gender frameworks including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action and Sustainable Development Goal 5 — into national policies.
The mission will further focus on improving coordination across UN agencies, aligning UN Women’s programmes with Zimbabwe’s development priorities, and identifying opportunities for joint initiatives.
UN Women said the engagement is expected to secure renewed government commitments, sharpen priorities for scaling up interventions, and strengthen donor support.
A joint press briefing with the UN Resident Coordinator is scheduled for Friday to highlight key outcomes of the visit.
Zimbabwe has recorded notable policy reforms in recent years, including the National Gender Policy (2025), the Gender-Based Violence Strategy (2023–2030) and the Marriages Act (2022).
However, challenges persist in women’s political participation, economic empowerment and the national response to gender-based violence.
UN Women’s country programme, operating with a projected budget of 2.8 million dollars for 2026, prioritises ending violence against women, promoting women’s leadership, expanding economic opportunities, and supporting peace and security initiatives.
The mission underscores the United Nations’ support for Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and its broader efforts to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals through gender-transformative policies and programmes.
APA