Zimbabwe Spotlights Gender Parity Progress during UN Ministerial Meeting

By Ilyana Sithole

New York – Hon. Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, made an emotional address while presenting at the United Nations (UN) Ministerial roundtable meeting as she presented Zimbabwe’s remarkable progress toward advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment. The meeting, conducted on 12 March 2025, was titled “National mechanisms for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls: Recommitting, resourcing and accelerating implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action, also with a view to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.”

Minister Mutsvangwa emphasized Zimbabwe’s dedication to building special and effective mechanisms for driving the Beijing Platform for Action goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more rapidly. She outlined the country’s multi-dimensional approach, demonstrating the resilience of Zimbabwe’s national mechanisms.

The most important elements of Zimbabwe’s strategy are:
1. Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development: As the coordinating, tracking, and reporting lead agency on gender equality, with decentralization to ward level.
2. Parliamentary Oversight: Three parliamentary standing committees, including the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus and the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, for effective monitoring and lobbying for gender equality.
3. Firm Policy and Legal Foundations: Zimbabwe has taken great leaps in passing and revising laws to meet constitutional standards and global best practices.
4. Revitalization of Gender Focal Persons: Regular appointment of Directors of Gender Mainstreaming, Inclusivity and Wellness in each ministry enhances gender mainstreaming at the institutional level.
5. Co-Operation with Civil Society Organizations: Increased co-operation with CSOs in policy development, implementation, and advocacy.
6. Private Sector Partnerships: Institutionalizing partnerships with the private sector for the promotion of gender equality.
7. Targeted Support Systems: Building the Zimbabwe Micro-Finance Bank (ZWMB) to enhance women’s inclusion in the financial system and ensuring safe shelters and one-stop centers to end gender-based violence (GBV).
8. Gender Observatory: Tracking gender equality benchmarks in the electoral process.
9. Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB): Institutionalizing GRB with effective accountability systems.
10. Engaging Men: Building alliances with men for promoting gender equality.
11. Capacity Development and Collection of Data: Sustenance of capacity development and utilization of gender-disaggregated statistics to shape policy choices.
12. Increased Women’s Participation: Improved women’s participation in decision-making positions.

Minister Mutsvangwa reiterated that the Zimbabwean experience is of utmost importance to other countries that wish to consolidate their gender equality mechanisms. She reassured the round table of Zimbabwe’s unshakable determination to maintain momentum and attain gender equality.

“Zimbabwe is proud to be here at this Ministerial Round Table conference in renewing the fact that effective, robust, and functional mechanisms of advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls are essential in fulfilling the visions of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

The address was met with great applause as Zimbabwe positioned itself as committed to empowering women and girls and pushing the global agenda on gender equality.