Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of the Ghana Armed Forces has made history as the recipient of the prestigious United Nations (UN) 2024 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, earning global acclaim for her leadership in promoting gender equality and protecting women’s rights in conflict-affected regions.
Honoured during a ceremony at the UN Headquarters in New York City on May 29, 2025, Squadron Leader Syme was celebrated for her groundbreaking work with the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) in South Sudan. As the Military Gender Adviser since 2024, she has been at the forefront of gender-sensitive peacekeeping, reshaping how military personnel engage with vulnerable communities, especially women and girls.
Her approach combined strategic training and grassroots outreach, including in-person gender sensitisation for more than 1,500 troops and collaboration with commanding officers to embed the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into military operations. She also extended her advocacy into civilian life, tackling early child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) through public health campaigns and inter-agency cooperation.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, lauded her efforts, describing her as a model of what gender-inclusive peacekeeping can achieve. “Her initiatives have made peacekeeping more responsive, effective, and respectful of the people it aims to serve,” he noted.
A graduate of the Ghana Military Academy with a master’s degree in international health from Tokyo University, Squadron Leader Syme currently serves as Deputy Chief Dietician at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra and is a proud member of the Ghana Armed Forces Medical Corps.
The Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award, established in 2016, recognises peacekeepers who excel in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which calls for the inclusion of women in peace and security efforts and the prevention of gender-based violence in conflict zones.
Squadron Leader Syme’s accolade cements Ghana’s growing reputation for contributing highly skilled, gender-aware personnel to global peacekeeping missions, and serves as an inspiration for women across the armed forces.
