Meet Peter Chinamora, who aims to have a supportive and positive impact on women in leadership, promoting gender equality and gender inclusion.
When speaking on what wants to achieve in his career in the long run, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Adviser for Pacific Women Lead at the Pacific Community (PWL at SPC) Peter Chinamora, says he aims to be an “established repository of knowledge on gender for just and inclusive societies, where all human beings in their diversity thrive and realise their dreams”.
Peter says he expects to build more on his experience working with gender equality, women’s rights, and to gain a deeper understanding of the contextual realities for GESI in the Pacific.
“It’s a challenging and yet rewarding field. To me, the greatest reward is witnessing the impact of our work and the positive changes in the lives of the people we serve.”
Peter, who comes all the way from Zimbabwe to join PWL at SPC in Fiji, says among local foods he likes rourou (taro/dalo leaves) and fish-based dishes. “Back at home, I enjoy free-range chicken and pumpkin leaves in peanut sauce,” he says.
Peter highlights the “lure of the Pacific,” adding that he had worked in many places before, but the interest in living and working in the Pacific equates to working in a friendly place. “It’s still early days, but I think I've adjusted well, given the tremendous support I've received from my colleagues.”
Peter officially joined PWL at SPC on 29 January 2025, having worked in the gender and inclusion field for the past 15 years. Before joining PWL, he worked in a gender and social inclusion role with UN agencies, including the UN World Food Program (UNWFP) at the Regional Bureau for Asia and Pacific and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Headquarters in Copenhagen.
“I have worked in the gender and social inclusion space for almost all my career, the work is often guided by institutional frameworks and guidelines, one attractive factor was PWL at SPC’s inclination towards creativity and innovation to address gender and putting women and girls at the centre of interventions by promoting leadership, participation and decision making”.
“Growing up in the 90s, I witnessed the devastation caused by HIV/AIDS in Southern African families and communities. I also witnessed the barriers faced by women, girls and persons with disabilities in accessing services and information.” Peter says this experience naturally awakened a personal curiosity about what he and others could do better to change the situation, so he deliberately followed a career path that has led him to PWL at SPC today.
As part of his work-life balance, Peter shared that he is a car enthusiast, “Anything automotive excites me, from Formula One to backroad car shows, I also like travelling”. Peter is also passionate about creating a safer world for children and young people and is a registered child protection social worker.
