Tag: ZLHR

Comprehensive Sexuality Education Is Not Sex Education Says Experts

Michael Gwarisa

SEXUAL and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) experts have reiterated that Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)  was key to empowering young people in and out of out school to make informed decisions about their life choices.   By Michael Gwarisa Speaking during a virtual discussion that was organised by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and Right Here Right Now (RHRN), Mr Sendisa Ndlovu, the Programs Officer for SAYWHAT said CSE was not about sex education but embraces the aspects of children’s rights and empowerment which in turn prevent them…

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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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When Votes Matter More Than Preventing SGBV

Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE is grappling with a huge burden of early marriages, rape, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women and young girls. By Michael Gwarisa Government  through support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other donor and civil society groups have been running various programs at community level in a bid to end early marriages. According to the UNICEF 2017 statistics, 32% of girls in Zimbabwe are married before the age of 18 and 4% are married before their 15th birthday. The lowest median ages of marriage are…

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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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Every Police Officer Should Get Victim Friendly Training To End GBV

Michael Gwarisa

PARLIAMENTARIANS have called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to realign its curriculum and make it compulsory for every police officer to have Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) training so as to increase efficiency in dealing with Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases. By Michael Gwarisa   Speaking during a Policy Makers Dialogue meeting in Harare organised by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) Vice President, Honorable Lynette Karenyi said Integrating VFU training into police training would ensure survivors of GBV get closure and comfort after…

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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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Chiwenga’s Decision Illegal and Dangerous- ZADHR/ZLHR

NewsRoom

THE decision by Vice President, Retired General Constantine Chiwenga to fire all striking nurses is not only irresponsible but dangerous to Zimbabwe’s health sector, top human health right organisations have said. By Michael Gwarisa In a joint Press statement by the Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR),they condemned the recent action taken by VP Chiwenga saying it will have a negative bearing on the welfare of people who have now been left at the mercy of inexperienced nurses and spent…

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New Public Health Bill More Progressive- ZLHR

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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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500 000 Lives In Danger As ARV Crisis Persists In Zimbabwe

NewsRoom

By Michael Gwarisa  NOT less than half a million lives are at risk of developing HIV drug resistance and full blown AIDS or dying if the prevailing shortages of Anti-Retroviral (ARVs) drugs particularly the second line regiment (Abacavir) is not resolved.  Speaking at a Joint Press Conference in Capital, the  Zimbabwe National Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights  (ZLHR) and the Diocese of Mutare Community Care Programme (DOMCCP) have bemoaned the lukewarm pace  concern over the slow pace at which the ongoing shortages  being resolved.…

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