On January 2nd, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda of Zimbabwe as [UN Assistant Secretary-General and] Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, United Nations System Coordination and Programme Results at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
The Secretary-General wishes to extend his appreciation to UN Women Director, Policy, Programme, and Intergovernmental Support, Sarah Hendriks of Canada, who will continue to serve as UN Women Deputy Executive Director ad interim, until Ms. Gumbonzvanda assumes her functions.
Ms. Gumbonzvanda is the Founder and Executive Director of Rozaria Memorial Trust based in Zimbabwe. Prior to that, she served as the General Secretary of the World Young Women’s Christian Association and United Nations Development Fund for Women Regional Programming Director in the East and Horn of Africa.
She has also served in the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as the Human Rights Officer in Liberia and National Child Rights Adviser in Zimbabwe. Before joining UNICEF, she served as the Interim Coordinator for the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association and Assistant Law Officer at the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Constitutional Affairs of Zimbabwe, and was also appointed the first African Union Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage.
Ms. 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, a Post-graduate Certificate in Conflict Transformation from the Uppsala University, Sweden, and a Bachelor of Laws (Honors) degree from the University of Zimbabwe.
