Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE is setting a regional benchmark for integrating women into its peace and security architecture, with the Ministry of Defence noting that women now constitute a remarkable 51 percent of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces personnel deployed on United Nations peacekeeping missions.
High levels of women are needed on these missions to make them more effective as most of those hit by war and conflict are women and children, and so having high female levels in peacekeeping forces helps a great deal.
This emerged yesterday at the Women, Peace and Security Symposium, held on the 25th commemoration of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, which saw top Government and UN officials celebrate national progress while outlining a roadmap for the future.
UNSCR 1325+25 refers to the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, a landmark 2000 resolution that for the first time formally recognised the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women and highlighted their crucial role in achieving and maintaining peace.
The “+25” signifies the ongoing commitment to and implementation of the resolution’s agenda, which focuses on increasing women’s participation in peace processes, protecting them from violence, preventing conflict-related harm, and providing relief and recovery in post-conflict settings.
Speaking during the symposium, Defence Permanent Secretary Mr Aaron Nhepera reiterated the nation’s commitment to gender mainstreaming.
“As part of her gender mainstreaming policy, Zimbabwe has made huge strides in advancing the cause of women in the defence and security sector,” he said.
“Women are not just being encouraged to join the sector, but have been capacitated and elevated to senior leadership positions.
“Notably such elevations include that of Hon Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who became the first female Minister of Defence. Currently, 51 percent of members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces deployed on peacekeeping missions are women.”
He, however, said, while the rest of Southern Africa is relatively peaceful and secure, there is need for this to take into account the exigencies of emerging security threats.
“Let it remain etched in our minds that women and children have unique needs which are better understood and managed by women themselves.
“It is also critical that we seek to understand the international peace and security environment and to appreciate how it impacts our own countries. There is the challenge of people displaced by conflicts around the world, some of whom are seeking refuge in Zimbabwe.
“Many of these are women and children whom we are obligated by international law to protect and shelter. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 is instructive in this regard.”
Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, also weighed in, saying the country has made commendable progress in terms of the WPS agenda.
“In 2024, we launched our First-Generation National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, a framework designed to localise and operationalise the principles of UNSCR 1325,” she said in a speech read on her behalf by Dr Mavis Sibanda, Permanent Secretary in her Ministry.
“Through this plan, we have strengthened the mainstreaming of gender perspectives across our security and development institutions and enhanced women’s participation in decision-making bodies at all levels.
“Across the nation, women are increasingly taking on leadership roles in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, humanitarian response, and community resilience. Our security institutions, civil society organisations, and local communities have demonstrated that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the inclusion and leadership of women.”
Zimbabwe’s definition of peace and security is holistic, extending far beyond the military sphere.
“As a nation, we particularly recognise that peace and security extend beyond armed conflict to include social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
“Our efforts focus on addressing everyday peace and security threats faced by women and girls, such as gender-based violence, economic marginalisation, and climate-induced crises.”
Mr Edward Kallon, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, highly commended Zimbabwe’s focused approach, citing the adoption of a “robust National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 (2023–2027)” as evidence of concrete steps being taken on the ground.
“Zimbabwe has embraced this agenda with clarity and purpose. The 2013 Constitution advanced the rights of women and girls across economic, social, and political spheres. Building on that foundation, Zimbabwe adopted a robust National Action Plan on UNSCR 1325 (2023–2027), signalling concrete steps to translate commitments into change on the ground.
“The Government’s leadership on WPS is evident in community dialogues, in capacity-building initiatives, and in efforts to localise peace structures so that women’s voices shape decisions at every level.”
