Zimbabwe and UN Women Deepen Partnership on Gender, Trade and Peace
Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing gender equality, women’s economic empowerment and peacebuilding through multilateral diplomacy following high-level talks with UN Women in Harare.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Professor Dr Amon Murwira, on Monday, received a courtesy call from the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UN Women Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, UN System Coordination and Programme Results, Ms Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, at the Munhumutapa Offices.
The engagement highlighted Zimbabwe’s growing role on the global stage in promoting gender-responsive diplomacy, inclusive trade and peace, with both parties emphasising the importance of using international platforms to protect the rights of women and girls while advancing global peace and development.
Ms Gumbonzvanda said the United Nations remained committed to partnering with Zimbabwe in fulfilling its international and multilateral obligations, particularly those focused on the empowerment, equality and rights of women and girls.
She noted that Zimbabwe’s strong commitment to multilateralism positions the country as an important advocate for peace, human rights and sustainable development.
On gender-responsive trade, she commended Zimbabwe’s efforts to promote women’s economic empowerment through international trade frameworks. She cited initiatives such as the Next She Exporter Incubation Programme, led by ZimTrade, which supports women-owned businesses to access regional and global markets.
Ms Gumbonzvanda pointed to Zimbabwean products gaining international recognition as practical examples of trade-driven empowerment. She referenced Zimbabwean blueberries exported to markets including Senegal, the United States and Singapore, as well as emerging local products such as Mapfura wine, stressing that ensuring women benefit from such opportunities is central to achieving meaningful gender equality.
She also highlighted the need for domestic resource mobilisation to meet global commitments, including ending violence against women and eliminating harmful practices such as child marriage.
On peace and security, Ms Gumbonzvanda highlighted UN Women’s focus on the Women, Peace and Security agenda under UN Security Council Resolution 1325, noting that Zimbabwe already has a National Action Plan that should be more strongly articulated at national, regional and global levels.
She outlined four priority pillars: conflict prevention; women’s participation in peace processes; post-conflict healing and social cohesion; and Zimbabwe’s leadership within SADC and the African Union to promote peace across the continent.
She further praised Zimbabwe’s efforts to align cultural values with gender equality, citing the role of traditional leaders whose commitments are now being scaled regionally and globally through the Council of Traditional Leaders in Africa.
Reflecting on the desired impact of these efforts, Ms Gumbonzvanda emphasised the importance of empowering girls and women to recognise that poverty is not permanent, while fostering strong families, communities and institutions that reject abuse and uphold dignity.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong partnership between Zimbabwe and UN Women, with both sides committing to deepen collaboration in diplomacy, trade and peacebuilding to ensure that women and girls remain central to national, regional and global development agendas.
