By Michale Gwarisa
In a landmark move that marks a deepening of collaboration between two major United Nations agencies, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the integration of critical health and protection services into food assistance programmes across Zimbabwe.
The new MoU aims to enhance the reach and impact of both organisations by delivering sexual and reproductive health services, family planning, and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention support at WFP food distribution points. The integrated approach is designed to address the multidimensional needs of Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable communities, particularly women and young people, by offering life-saving support under one platform.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony held in Harare, UNFPA Zimbabwe Representative Ms. Miranda Tabifor emphasised the transformative potential of the partnership:
This agreement establishes a framework for collaboration that integrates sexual and reproductive health and rights, including family planning, prevention of gender-based violence, and food and nutrition security into food assistance activities. By targeting the same beneficiaries, especially women and young people, and building on WFP’s existing food distribution platforms, we can reach more people with essential services and information,” said Tabifor.
She reflected on the longstanding cooperation between the two agencies, citing examples from as far back as 2016 when WFP provided food assistance to pregnant women in maternity waiting homes while UNFPA offered maternity care support and infrastructure improvements. The synergy between the agencies was also evident during past emergencies, including Cyclone Idai and the COVID-19 pandemic, when WFP distributed UNFPA’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) materials and commodities in affected districts.
In a recent collaboration in Buhera District, the two agencies successfully piloted the integration of family planning services at WFP’s lean season food distribution sites. “UNFPA’s implementing partner, the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council, provided outreach family planning services at the food distribution point, showing how practical and impactful this collaboration can be,” Tabifor noted.
Through the newly signed MoU, UNFPA will continue to support the delivery of maternal, newborn, HIV, family planning, and GBV services by working through national partners such as the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council. Additionally, the agency will facilitate the training of food distribution stakeholders on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), GBV risk mitigation, and safe referral mechanisms.
The MoU signifies a pivotal moment in Zimbabwe’s humanitarian and development landscape—one where collaboration across sectors is no longer optional but essential.
WFP Zimbabwe Country Director and Representative Ms. Barbara Clemens echoed this sentiment, highlighting the urgency of collaborative approaches in a world facing complex and interlinked crises:
“This MoU is our joint declaration of intent, a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to better serving the people of Zimbabwe. It signals a deepened partnership rooted in the belief that sustainable development cannot be achieved in silos,” said Clemens.
She underscored the need to rethink service delivery models in light of growing vulnerabilities, economic shocks, and resource constraints. “This partnership is anchored in that thinking. WFP and UNFPA are coming together to deliver integrated responses, linking food security with sexual and reproductive health, nutrition with protection, and dignity with empowerment.”
Clemens noted that when a woman or adolescent girl arrives at a food distribution site, she should be able to access more than just food. “She can also find information about family planning, access services, or a safe pathway out of violence. This is what collaboration should look like—practical, people-centred, and transformative,” she added.
The partnership also aligns with national development priorities and aims to bolster the government’s capacity to provide inclusive and timely interventions. By leveraging WFP’s vast operational footprint and UNFPA’s technical expertise, the two agencies aim to deliver a more holistic package of support to Zimbabwe’s most underserved communities.
This collaboration directly supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), and Goal 5 (Gender Equality). Both agencies expressed optimism that this model of integrated service delivery can become a standard practice within the broader UN system and among development partners.
In closing, Clemens extended appreciation to Tabifor and the UNFPA team for their continued partnership and shared vision. “Let us use this moment to recommit ourselves to the power of collaboration. When we work together, we go further. And when we keep the people we serve at the centre of our efforts, we make lasting progress,” she concluded.
As the new partnership begins to roll out, communities across Zimbabwe can expect a more comprehensive, efficient, and compassionate model of service delivery—one where no need is treated in isolation, and no one is left behind.
