Zimbabwe International Women’s Day Commemorations Puts A spotlight On Investing In Women

By Michael Gwarisa in Shurugwi Women and girls in Zimbabwe bear the biggest brunt of climate change, and economic challenges amongst other vices, hence the need for increased investment in women across all economic spheres. The call was made by various stakeholders who attended the International Women’s Day Commemorations 2024 Commemorations at Chitora Primary School in Shurugwi. This also comes amid an Elnino-induced climate crisis whereby various districts across the country are facing a serious drought. Officiating at the International Women’s Day celebrations, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and…

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SOWP Report Findings a Wake-Up Call for Zim Government to Respect Women’s Bodily Autonomy

GOVERNMENT should allow women the power to make decisions regarding their own Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), a top Zimbabwe Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises official has said. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during the launch of the 2023 State of the World Population Report (SWOP) in the Capital Harare. The report was conducted by the United National Population Fund (UNFPA) and revealed that while the world population has reached the 8 billion mark, more women and girls were still lagging in terms of access…

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Zimbabwe receives nearly one million COVID-19 vaccine doses from COVAX

Zimbabwe has received  943,200 COVID-19 vaccine doses from the global COVAX Facility to complement ongoing national vaccine deployment. Health Reporter The vaccines have been received in tranches where the first batch arrived on 29th September and the second batch today, 01 October 2021. In a handover ceremony held this afternoon, Dr John Mangwiro, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care said, “We are grateful to all partners for their support in facilitating the arrival of the vaccines in our country.” The COVAX Facility is a global partnership comprised of the…

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Protect Corruption Whistleblowers- UN Urges Zim Gvt

THE United Nations (UN) Zimbabwe country representative, Ms. Maria Ribeiro’s has on called government and all organisations dealing with corruption to ensure the safety and protection of whistle blowers so as to encourage the culture of reporting corruption in the country. By Michael Gwarisa Speaking at the opening event of a two day National Workshop on Whistleblower protection in Harare, Ms Ribeiro said whistleblowers play a pivotal in the exposing of corrupt activities in the public and private sector. We all need to acknowledge that information about acts of corruption…

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United Nations Condemns Death of Memory Machaya, 14-year-old Adolescent Girl Who Died During Childbirth

THE United Nations in Zimbabwe notes with deep concern and condemns strongly the surrounding circumstances leading to the untimely death of 14-year-old Memory Machaya from Marange, who died while giving birth at an apostolic sect shrine. HealthTimes Reporter Sadly, disturbing reports of the sexual violation of under-aged girls, including early forced child marriages continue to surface and indeed this is another sad case. A situation where one out of three girls in Zimbabwe will be married before the age of 18 years is also not acceptable. The current trend of…

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Zim Launches Special Initiative For Mental Health

ZIMBABWE has introduced a national program for Mental Health and the Zimbabwe Mental Health Investment Case with the aim of improving policy, advocacy, financing and the upholding of human rights, as well as scale up evidence-based interventions and services for people living with mental health disorders. By Patricia Mashiri Mental health disorders include substance abuse disorders and neurological diseases. The strength of the special initiative is based on establishment of evidenced based mental health treatment packages mainly for the treatment of substance use disorders, decentralization of mental health services, establishment…

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President Mnangagwa Jointly Launches Disability And Labor Migration Policies

ZIMBABWE’S President, Emmerson Mnangagwa has jointly launched the National Disability Policy as well as the National Labour Migration Policy, in a move that set to bring dignity as well as better livelihoods for persons with disabilities (PWDs) as well as immigrants seeking better life opportunities. By Michael Gwarisa Officially launching the policies, President Mngangagwa said the disability policy should mark an end to discrimination against people with disabilities as well as herald the beginning of a new chapter that is all inclusive and development oriented. These critical policies augment the…

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COVID-19: Women and girls face greater dangers during COVID-19 pandemic

Community Health Worker Lydia Ganda conducting community awareness activities in Boitekong township in Rustenburg. Photographer: Siyathuthuka Media

THE COVID-19 pandemic is having potentially catastrophic secondary impacts on the health of women and girls around the world. Decisions made at every level of the response to the pandemic are resulting in women being further cut off from sexual and reproductive health services, threatening sharp rises in maternal and neonatal mortality. Women and girls are often denied care outright or face dangerous delays getting the services they need. The impacts of misguided policies and barriers to care are especially severe in places with weak or overburdened health systems—including many…

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It Cant Be Business As Usual- UN Warns Gvts As Coronavirus Enters Pandemic Phase

THE United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG) Mr António Gutteres has called on governments across the globe to ramp up efforts to screen, monitor and manage the Coronavirus outbreak following the World Health Organisation (WHO) announcement of the bug now being a global pandemic. By Michael Gwarisa In a statement, Mr Gutteres called for calm while at the same time vigilance in the face of the pandemic which has already claimed more than 4629 lives in China  and outside mainland China. All of us face a common threat – the…

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Name and Shame Sexual Predators In Tertiary Institutions Says UN

UNITED Nations (UN) resident coordinator in Zimbabwe, Mr Bishow Parajuli has called on tertiary institutions authorities, victims and survivors of sexual violence in institutions of higher learning to come forward and expose the perpetrators of sexual abuse. By Michael Gwarisa Mr Parajuli told an open discussion on sexual violence in tertiary institutions dubbed “Stepping up partnerships to end sexual exploitation in varsities” that the only way universities and colleges could rid themselves of the growing menace of sexual violence is by not protecting them even at law. “I am alarmed…

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