Online Reporter
The 2024 SADC Protocol Work Summit is underway in Harare with Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe expected to headline the proceedings.
The event is running under the theme “Promoting gender inclusive governance and economic development”.
In attendance are:
Local authorities
Civil society organisations
Government departments.
Stakeholders will deliberate on 12 key issues, including
Best practices on gender mainstream
Climate change
Gender-based violence
Youth leadership
Gender-responsive budgeting
Sexual representative health
Local authorities will be awarded for their contributions in promoting gender best practices.
Our Reporter Remember Deketeke is at the venue of the summit in Harare and will be giving you live updates.
Dr Mutasa hails Government for addressing gender issues
Director of Diakonia, an international development organisation of two Swedish churches, has hailed Government for addressing gender issues in the country.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe 2024 SADC Protocol at Work Summit that is underway in Harare, Dr Charles Mutasa said it is important for Zimbabwe to learn from other countries.
“We learn from other countries, so we need to take lessons from countries like Sweden so that we reduce teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence, among other issues,” he said.
Gender mainstreaming is a strategy that Sweden has used since 1994 to achieve gender equality.
The strategy involves integrating gender equality considerations into all levels of decision-making and operations, rather than treating it as a separate issue. The goal is to ensure that women and men have the same opportunities and power to shape society and their own lives.
Some of the specific objectives of Sweden’s gender equality policy include:
Achieving economic equality
Ensuring an equal distribution of power and influence
Ending male violence against women
Achieving an equal distribution of unpaid care and household work
Minister Garwe tours exhibition stands
Local Government and Public Work Minister Daniel Garwe toured local authorities’ exhibition stands at the 2024 SADC Protocol at Work Summit Awards.
Local authorities, working in partnership with Gender Links, have embarked on an initiative to promote gender mainstreaming in their organisations.
The initiative also seeks to encourage local authorities to integrate gender considerations into their budgets, and to grow flagship enterprises within the Local Economic Development framework.
Speaking after the tour, Minister Garwe said such partnerships are important in developing local authorities.
“Partnerships like these augment the call-to-action blueprints for local authorities to achieve their goals.”
