A Zimbabwean peacekeeper, Military Observer Major Winnet Zharare, 39, who served with United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is expected to receive the 2021 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award from Secretary-General António Guterres today.
Zharare, 39 who served in Bentiu, South Sudan 2021-2022 advocated for gender parity and women’s participation, within her own ranks, among local military counterparts, and in host communities.
“Major Zharare is a role model and a trailblazer,” Guterres said.
“Through her service, she has demonstrated the invaluable role that women play in building trust, advocating for change and forging peace.”
Zharare, deployed as the Chief Military Information Officer in East Africa helped ensure that patrols included both women and men to improve protection efforts, as well as build trust between host communities and the Mission according to UNMISS.
Her efforts also contributed to an increase in gender-aggregated data so that issues raised by local women and girls would gain appropriate attention.
Expressing gratitude for the award the Zimbabwean Major said the award “motivates her to maintain her course towards gender equality.”
“My parents gave us equal opportunities with my brothers, so I believe that equal opportunities should be given to both men and women in all aspects of life,” Zharare said.
Zharare shall be recorded in history as the first Zimbabwean to receive the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
Another Zimbabwean woman that has received a peacekeepers award was Assistant Inspector of Police Annah Chota for the 2017 International Femme Police Peacekeeper.
