By Linda Mujuru, GPJ Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE — In the high-density suburb of Hopley, Tatenda Mangwanya, 16, admires her 2-week-old baby girl to whom she gave birth with the assistance of a self-trained midwife. She stands by her decision to give birth at home, which she says was the safest for her baby, whom she named Nqobile, a Ndebele name meaning “victor.” I was registered at a local clinic in the neighboring suburb of Highfield about 10 kilometers from here, but I was transferred to [the hospital] located farther away…
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WAG Launches Four Months Long Campaign To Mark 40th Anniversary
The Women’s Action Group (WAG) this year celebrates 40 years of championing the feminist movement in Zimbabwe in their quest to advance women’s rights and end abuse of women and girls in all spheres. By Ntokozo Gudu To celebrate the four decades WAG launched a four-month campaign with this year’s celebrations themed “WAG@40: We move on”. Speaking at the launch of the campaign on Wednesday, WAG executive director Mrs Edinah Masiyiwa said they will continue to fight for the uplifting and respect of a woman’s dignity. The formation of WAG…
Read MoreZimbabwe SRHR Champions for 2022
ZIMBABWE has over the years made significant strides in terms of advancing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services to a number of people from different age groups. However, despite the progress that has been made, there still remains some unfinished business that need to be faced head on in order to ensure equitable access to SRH services. Some of the unfinished business hindering Zimbabwe’s progress towards attaining SRH targets include rape or sexual abuse, Gender Based Violence (GBV), teen pregnancies, early child marriages, poor access to sanitary health and lack of…
Read MoreGoing Beyond The Legal Framework On Abortion To Save Lives of Women and Girls
By Edinah Masiyiwa Nokutenda Hwaramba was a 15-year-old girl who recently died at a shrine whilst giving birth. Her life, like that of other pregnant girls giving birth in shrines, was cut short for preventable causes and this angers me so much. One of the reasons given for why girls like Nokutenda did not deliver safely in a health center is “church doctrine,”’ which left them under the care of untrained religious people. One wonders why such a doctrine is still allowed in Zimbabwe, a country which signed the Maputo…
Read MoreAs International Safe Abortion Day Draws Closer, Its Time To Reflect on progress towards access to safe abortion for women and girls
The 28th of September is International Safe Abortion Day, and it has two themes: “Diverse Actions, Different Places, One Demand: Access to Safe and Legal Abortion Now” and “Abortion in Uncertain Times.” By Edinah Masiyiwa These themes speak to me as an advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights, and they give me energy to continue working on safe abortion access. They communicate that firstly, we will achieve access to safe abortion through working in our different spaces from research, to advocacy, to awareness raising at community and policy…
Read MoreWAG Uses The Safe-Engage Tool To Sensitize Nurses On Termination Of Pregnancy Act
THE Women’s Action Group of Zimbabwe (WAG) is making use of the SAFE ENGAGE (Strengthening Evidence Based Policy to Expand Access to Safe Abortion) media tool to communicate the country’s illegal abortion scenario to various key stakeholders in a bid to raise awareness on Zimbabwe’s abortion situation as well as familiarize communities with the country’s Termination of Pregnancy Act (TOP). By Michael Gwarisa Amongst some of the groups that have benefited from WAG’s sensitization programs are Senators, Parliamentarians, traditional leaders, midwives and recently nurses. Speaking during a half day SAFE…
Read MoreSexual Gender Based Violence Linked To High Unsafe Abortions in Zimbabwe
HIGH cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) have been linked to an increase in cases of unsafe and illegal abortions by young girls and women in Zimbabwe, a top government official has said. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the Health and Wellness Day that was organized by the Women Action Group (WAG) in Mabvuku, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development Provincial Development Officer Mr Ernest Chimbodza said Zimbabwe was losing lives of young women and girls to unsafe abortions every year. Ladies and gentlemen,…
Read MoreMen Cant Be Trusted In The Fight Against GBV- Women Rights Groups
WOMEN Rights organisations representatives at the two day SafAids Symposium on Best Practices in HIV and Gender Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Gender Norms Transforming Regional Linking & Learning, say men can not be trusted as partners in the fight against GBV and there was need to put them under check. By Michael Gwairisa This however is despite increasing calls for male involvement and mainstreaming men in the GBV war so as to break the barriers patriarchy has installed in society. Women Action Group, Zimbabwe director, Edinah Masiyiwa said there…
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