Youth Empowerment Is Zimbabwe’s Future, Gender Commission Says

By Ilyana Sithole

As Zimbabwe celebrates National Youth Day (21st February, 2025) under the theme “Empower Youth, Secure the Future,” the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) made a statement of concern that underscored the central position of young people in national development and affirming that what they go through must be eased. The Commission is joining the nation in celebrating the country’s vibrant youth and the rest of the country with their vigor and potential making up a significant 62% of Zimbabwe’s population under the age of 25 (2022 Census).

Though Zimbabwe has achieved some progress in empowering youth, e.g., establishing a quota for youths in parliament and in councils, increasing vocational training centers, universities, and colleges, and the establishment of innovation centers for youths, major barriers still exist, especially for young women.

The ZGC’s statement invokes the constitutional provisions that are the basis of gender equality and youth empowerment. Section 17 of the Constitution instructs the state to advance gender balance, while Section 20 ensures especially youth access to education, vocational training, employment, and involvement in national development and decision-making. Section 56 makes promises of equality and non-discrimination, including on the basis of age and gender.

In spite of these laws, gender imbalances remain, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Girls account for only 32% of tertiary students, and support for women-owned businesses remains low. The Commission also expressed grave concern over increasing drug and substance abuse, with 40% of youth in urban areas reporting having been in contact with illegal drugs (2023 National Drug Survey). This kind of crisis risks eroding the health, productivity, and social cohesion of youth.

The call to action of the ZGC requires immediate action on these problems. Among its major recommendations are:
* Eradication of the Gender Gap in Education: Ensuring that girls have access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education through scholarships, infrastructure, and mentorship programs. Passage of the Education Amendment Act, which penalizes the denial of pregnant girls education.
* Fighting Drug Abuse: Increasing funding for community rehabilitation facilities, underwriting national anti-drug advertising campaigns, imposing greater penalties for drug selling, and offering psychosocial treatment to victimized children.
* Scaling Up Economic Empowerment for Youth: Expanding outreach of the Youth Empower Bank to rural areas, reducing interest rates for women-owned businesses, and stimulating private-sector partnerships for developing apprenticeship programs. Policy reforms should aim at eradicating gender ceilings and providing equal access to formal jobs.
* Increasing Meaningful Youth Participation: Facilitating success of youth quotas in government and dealing with challenges hindering meaningful youth participation.

The ZGC reiterates that investment in youth is not a choice but a constitutional requirement. The Commission calls upon the government and other stakeholders to unite to foster an environment where all the youth have an opportunity to achieve their full potential and make contributions to national development. The ZGC vows to continue exerting efforts to monitor Zimbabwean youth achieve productive adulthood and contribute to national development.