Virginia Muwanigwa is one woman who has managed to draw inspiration from the tribulations of the past. Born in Mbare in June 1970. Born in Mbare in June 1970, she is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission.
Virginia has extensive expertise in gender, communications and development. As Chief Executive Officer of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, she has a deep understanding of resilience-building from a women’s rights and feminist perspective. Through this and previous roles at organisations including the Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre, ActionAid International, and Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network, Virginia has developed a wide understanding of human resources, labour issues, social accountability, and movement building. She has an extensive network consisting of individuals working in government, civil society organizations, and more.
Virginia holds a BSc in Sociology and Gender Development Studies from Women’s University in Africa and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Eastern & Southern African Management Institute. She has earned Diplomas in Communications and Journalism and in Workers’ Rights Education, as well as undergoing numerous training courses in Gender and Development Programming; Project Formulation, Design, Planning, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation; and Media and Communications.
She has written several articles, edited many gender and human rights books and fundraised for many women organisations. She once won an award for the Best Print News article in southern Africa, beating 186 other entries. The article was about the then Domestic Violence Bill which the women’s movement was advocating for. Virginia has lobbying and advocacy experience at national and international levels including during the constitution making process. Her first experience of lobbying was actually at an international level in 1997, when an International Trade Secretariat hired her for the Women’s Programme in their Africa Regional Office.
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