Zimbabwean lawyer, Dr Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda has been appointed deputy executive director for UN Women, a specialised agency of the United Nations that deals mainly with female gender and empowerment issues globally.
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres announced Dr Gumbonzvanda’s appointment in a statement on Tuesday.
The founder and executive director of Zimbabwe-based Rozaria Memorial Trust, Dr Gumbonzvanda has held many top positions in international organisations, mainly dealing with challenges children and women face.
Prior to her latest appointment, Dr Gumbonzvanda was the general secretary of the World Young Women’s Christian Association, and regional programming director for women for the United Nations Development Fund in East Africa and the Horn of Africa.
She has also worked for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as the human rights officer in Liberia, and as national child rights adviser in Zimbabwe.
Before joining UNICEF, she served as interim coordinator for the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association, and was an assistant law officer at the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Constitutional Affairs.
She was also appointed the first African Union goodwill ambassador on ending child marriage.
Dr Gumbonzvanda holds a Doctor of Laws Degree (Honoris Causa) from the University of Massachusetts, USA, a Master in Laws Degree from the University of South Africa, Post graduate certificate in Conflict Transformation from the Uppsala University, Sweden, and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) Degree from the University of Zimbabwe. – New Ziana



