Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda is the World YWCA General Secretary. Originally from Zimbabwe, she joined the World YWCA in 2007. Gumbunzvanda has over 10 years of experience with the United Nations, where she served as Regional Director for the United Nations Development Fund for Women in Eastern and Horn of Africa covering 13 countries. She had previously worked as a human rights officer with UNICEF in Liberia and Zimbabwe. She is a trained human rights lawyer with extensive experience in conflict resolution and mediation. Under her leadership, the World YWCA has worked on strengthening the analysis on the linkages between women’s rights, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and HIV for effective interventions, programs and services. Gumbonzvanda has also raised the voice of grassroots women and girls, advocating on their behalf for the implementation of key global commitments on women, young women and girls’ rights through CEDAW mechanisms, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Human Rights Council and the International Conference on Population and Development, engaging the movement and partners in these processes.