Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana named UN Military Gender Advocate of the Year

Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme from Ghana has received the 2024 United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award. She is the latest Ghanaian peacekeeper to gain global recognition for promoting gender equality in peacekeeping.

The announcement took place at a ceremony in New York. UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised Ms. Syme's work with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). The event also honored peacekeepers with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal and Woman Police Officer of the Year awards.

Mr. Guterres highlighted Ms. Syme's qualities, stating, “Her outreach has built strong community links.” He noted her efforts helped understand women's concerns and develop solutions together.

Since her deployment to UNISFA in March 2024, Squadron Leader Syme has led gender-focused initiatives. These include health campaigns and gender sensitization training for military personnel. Her work has reached over 1,500 troops across Abyei’s sectors.

“I realized that everyone needed to understand gender mainstreaming,” she said in an interview. She developed training sessions for all military contingents to ensure effective understanding.

The results were clear: peacekeepers began forming gender-balanced patrol teams. They also sought input from local women on community safety issues, turning policy into practice through inclusivity.

Ms. Syme’s impact went beyond military operations. She collaborated with civilian and police officers on a health awareness campaign against harmful practices like early child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM). When community meetings were restrictive for women, she organized private dialogues to amplify their voices.

“What they shared was heartbreaking,” she recalled about their stories of early marriages and FGM complications. In response, she involved medical professionals from UNISFA’s hospital to raise awareness about these issues.

“The men were shocked,” she noted, recalling their apologies upon learning about the harm caused by FGM. This engagement shifted local attitudes and prompted leaders to reconsider traditional practices.

Squadron Leader Syme also advocated for joint commemorations and gender awareness events within UNISFA. She emphasized that success requires diverse military representation and responsive leaders who listen and act.

Ghana’s military representative at the UN praised this recognition as a significant milestone for Ghana's peacekeeping legacy. Ms. Syme graduated from the Ghana Military Academy and holds a master's degree in international health from Tokyo University in Japan.

She currently serves as Deputy Chief Dietician at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra and is part of the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Corps.

The Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was established in 2016 to honor exceptional dedication to implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325 principles. This resolution calls for women's inclusion in peace efforts and measures against gender-based violence during conflicts.

As she accepted her award, Ms. Syme expressed hope that it inspires other peacekeepers—especially women—to lead boldly. “Without a gender lens, we risk missing the real picture,” she concluded.