Zimbabwe Readies to Mark International Women’s Day Celebration: “For ALL Women and Girls”

By Ilyana Sithole

Zimbabwe is ready to host the 2025 national International Women’s Day in Mutasa in the Manicaland Province, marking the first of its kind, coordinated by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development in an effort to bring women together from diverse backgrounds.

This year’s event scheduled to take place on the 7th of March at Munyarari Secondary School coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action a transformational global agenda for the realization of gender equality and women’s empowerment and girls’.
Making the remark during today’s Press Conference, the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Honourable Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, said that Zimbabwe’s contribution to empowering women aligns with the catchphrase of Vision 2030 as “leaving no one and no place behind.”

“This commemoration gives us an opportunity to celebrate our achievements as a nation such as women’s meaningful participation in all sectors and in particular their participation in decision making and leadership is a key driver of national development,” Minister Mutsvangwa declared. She also added that the National Women in Leadership and Decision-Making Strategy 2023-2030 is supporting the increase of women’s presence in the public, political, and private sector.

The Minister mentioned concrete achievements, such as President E.D. Mnangagwa’s appointment of the first female Attorney General and Prosecutor General and the first female officer Cadet trained Brigadier General. She mentioned constitutional assurances of women and youth quotas in the National Assembly, Senate, and Local Government and a record 33% women in local government as a direct result of the 30% quota.

Without the quota, women would have held 12% of the seats in the local government at the expense of those who had been directly elected, justified Minister Mutsvangwa in their defense.

The Minister also reminded us of the Beijing 30, insisting that the emphasis is on “ALL” women, to remind us that no woman is superior to the other. She also clarified that it’s not about substituting men in empowering women but it is about an equal and balanced society.

In gratitude for the achievement, Minister Mutsvangwa valued that women and girls are still faced with deeply rooted issues like market system limitations, finance, gender stereotypes, prejudice, and gender-based violence against women. She called for joint action by all stakeholders in turning around the injustices.

The event will also include a vibrant exhibition of women’s success, like the exhibition of handicrafts, food, and agricultural products, and on-the-spot services from health, finance, agriculture, and lawyers. The day will also include performances from local artists’, and edutainment shows of major issues like women’s rights, empowerment, and climate change.

“We invite all the stakeholders namely government, civil society, private sector and individuals to join us in this historic mission,” implored Minister Mutsvangwa and further stated that, “Together, we can build a world where all women and girls have equal rights, opportunities and empowerment.”

The Minister concluded by calling on women to utilize government programs in empowerment, legal rights, adaptation and mitigation of climate change, agriculture, and mining. “We encourage women to take advantage of Government programmes which include empowerment of women, legal rights adaptation and mitigation against climate change, agriculture and mining amongst others,” she added.

As Zimbabwe gets ready to join the rest of the world to celebrate International Women’s Day, Zimbabwe reaffirms its commitment towards realizing a world where all women and girls can reach their full potential without anyone and nowhere being left behind fighting for gender equality.