Tag: TINASHE MUNDAWARARA

Zimbabwe On The Verge Of Decriminalizing HIV Transmission

Michael Gwarisa

FOLLOWING massive lobbying and advocacy from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), parliament, the media and some quasi government institutions, Zimbabwe is at the cusp of decriminalizing wilful or deliberate transmission of HIV. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during the launch of a Media Tool Kit on HIV criminalization by the Health Law & Policy Consortium in Harare. The decriminalization of HIV in Zimbabwe is tied to the Marriages Bill, Section 53 (2) which if enacted, will result in the repeal of Section 79 of the Criminal Law Code which criminalizes…

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#COVID-19: CSOs Caution Gvt To Consider Economic Impact Of Indefinite Lockdown

Michael Gwarisa

HEALTH Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have welcomed government’s move to extend the lockdown but warned against instituting measures that could negatively affect the vulnerable and the country’s highly informalised economy. By Michael Gwarisa In an interview with HalthTimes, Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director, Mr Itai Rusike said the lockdown extension was a welcome move given the spike in new Covid-19 cases and there was no room for wishful thinking when dealing with a global health pandemic. We need to remain vigilant and fully prepared to deal with…

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#COVID-19: Zim Should Adopt SMART Lockdown Model- Health Policy Expert Warns

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE should desist from copying and pasting other countries’ COVID-19 containment measures and adopt a SMART lockdown model peculiar to the country’s health and economic demands, a top health policy expert has warned. By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe instituted its initial lockdown on March 30, 2020 before extending it by another two weeks. President Emmerson Mnangagwa also extended the lockdown by another 14 days  which will be ending in a few days’ time though under much relaxed conditions. However, Zimbabwe has in the past few weeks been accused of replicating South…

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Why Decriminalising HIV Transmission is The Way To Go For Zim

Michael Gwarisa

OVER the past few months, there has been talk around the subject of decriminalising HIV transmission. The minister of Justice, Honorable Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament that government was planning to decriminalise wilful transmission of HIV following the gazetting of the Marriage Bill. By Michael Gwarisa Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) which include the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Katswe Sisterhood, Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN), Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) among others have been advocating for the repealing of Section 79 of the Criminal law which criminalises…

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To Or Not To Legalise Abortion, Zimbabwe’s Legal Dilemma

NewsRoom

ABORTION has been a contentious issue in Zimbabwe and the world over, with governments and civil society organisations clashing on numerous platforms over the morality, acceptability and legality of the practice. By Michael Gwarisa The United States government under the current Donald Trump administration does not support abortion, neither does it provide funding for organisations which support abortion. In Zimbabwe, not only is abortion taboo but is in most instances associated with loose morals and first degree murder as it involves the termination of a fetus (life) from its mother’s…

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ZLHR Makes Progress Towards Decriminalizing HIV Infection

NewsRoom

THE Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) say they have made strides in engaging key stakeholders  around the subject of repealing  Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act in a bid to ensure a free and non discriminatory environment for people living with with HIV. The law criminalizes  willful HIV transmission but according to legal experts, it is too general and thus can not be used as an HIV or health law.  By Michael Gwarisa Tinashe Mundawarara, programme manager for the HIV, Human Rights and Law Project at ZLHR,  recently told …

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New Public Health Bill More Progressive- ZLHR

NewsRoom

ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) Senior Program manager, Tinashe Mundawarara said the newly gazetted Public Health Bill (PHB) was inclusive of various sections of the society which were side-lined in the old 90 year old document. By Michael Gwarisa Briefing Journalists during media engagement yesterday, Mundawarara said the issue of key populations was touched at a wider length in the new bill even though more still needed to be done to make it a perfect document. “As you might be aware, the ministry of health has managed to push…

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