UN Women’s Deputy Executive Director Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda visits Ethiopia, engages in Beijing +30 Africa Consultations

Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, UN Women’s Deputy Executive Director for Normative Support, System Coordination, Programme Results had an official working visit to Ethiopia 27 October-08 November 2024. The objective of the visit was to take part in Beijing +30 Africa consultations and to learn about UN Women’s work in Ethiopia, both by Ethiopia Country Office and the Liaison office to the African Union and UNECA.

She was warmly welcomed by the ESAR RD (a, i.) Ms Hoddan Addou, Ms Cecile Mukarubuga, UNW representative to Ethiopia, Ms Letty Chiwara, UN Women representative to Malawi and other staff members of UN Women Ethiopia Country Office and Liaison Office to the African Union and UNECA.

Bilateral meeting with UNRC, Dr. Ramiz Alakbarov, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, was the first engagement DED has undertaken after her arrival in Ethiopia. Key strategies areas discussed were the status of women and girls in Ethiopia and how the UN programming is addressing it, Gender transformative language for the next UNSDCF 2025- 2030, operational presence at the regional and zonal level of the country and Gender and disability inclusion programming and the much-needed support for the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs in hosting the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2024 to take place on 3rd December 2024.

The second engagement she had was meeting and interacting with staff members of the UN Women Ethiopia Country Office and Liaison Office to the African Union and UNECA at the UN Women offices in Ethiopia where she has conversations with staff on wellbeing and capacity building trainings for staff as well as systems and procedures that may put bottlenecks in delivery and fulfilling the mandates of UN Women.

DED’s visit to Ethiopia Country Office Programs and Partners

High level bilateral meeting with H.E Semerita Sewasew, State Minister for Finance was DED’s first engagement with Ethiopia country office partners. The discussion focused on Ms Renewing UN Women’s commitment and availability to advance financing for gender equality in collaboration with the ministry.

The need for other countries experiences on gender budget tracking mechanisms and how decisions are made to implement the gender budgeting even in humanitarian emergency contexts and Decentralization of the implementation of the Gender Budget Statement to regions for effective implementation of gender responsive budget were also other points raised.

Working Lunch Meeting with Dr. Ergogie Tesfaye, Minister of Women and Social Affairs, was the next engagement where Ms. Nyarazdai and Dr. Ergogie discussed the critical importance of strengthening the women’s machinery, including women’s movements. Another engagement was interactive dialogue with Ethiopia’s Women led CSOs and Youth where discussion was made on the need for building the capacity and resilience of frontline/grassroot women’s rights organizations, building a strong Intergenerational women's movement, and addressing backlash and setbacks to GEWE.

A working visit to a shelter for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence run by UN Women’s implementing partner Association of Women Sanctuary and Development (AWSAD), located in the outskirts of Addis Ababa, was another engagement Ms. Nyaradzayi made in relation to UN Women Ethiopia country office’s program. She also met with members of the Network of Ethiopian Women Shelters, a coalition of all shelter providers including those who provide shelters for male survivors of SGBV. The need to end impunity and ensure access to justice for survivors, strengthening the Ethiopian Network of Women Shelters and advocacy for government support of shelters were strategic issues raised and deliberated on during the visit.

Another notable engagement was meeting with members of the UN Country and Leadership team. GEWE featuring strongly in the developed cooperation framework in the process of development, UN systemwide accountability on gender and the country level coordination mechanisms and the need for more joint programmes and initiatives on gender were the main points of discussion.

Working Dinner with Development Partners was the last engagement DED has in relation to UN Women’s work in Ethiopia where discussion was made on dedicating more resources to the finalization of Ethiopia’s National Action Plan (NAP) on Women Peace and Security and how to strengthen working with Women Led Organizations & Women Right Organizations in the NAP & Transitional Justice process. Also, how UN Women will strengthen working with Joint Programs with other UN agencies.