Online Reporter
Fatima Bulla-Musakwa
THREE decades after the historic 4th World Conference on Women, commonly known as the Beijing Conference, Zimbabwe has made significant strides towards gender equality through comprehensive legislative reforms.
At the conference, Zimbabwe, alongside other United Nations (UN) member states, adopted the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, committing to a long-term agenda for women’s empowerment. The Platform for Action identified 12 critical areas requiring urgent attention, including education and training of women, combating violence against women, upholding women’s human rights and establishing institutional mechanisms to advance the status of women and girls.
It also prioritised addressing women’s roles in poverty, health, the environment, armed conflict, the economy, power, decision-making and media representation.
Promoting gender equality
Zimbabwe has demonstrated its commitment through robust legislative and policy measures that lay a strong foundation for respecting and protecting women’s rights.
The Constitution of Zimbabwe, particularly Sections 17, 56 and 80, provides for gender balance and ensures women’s full participation in all aspects of life without discrimination.
Official statistics show that one in three women aged between 15 and 49 years suffers physical violence in their lifetime, emphasising the need for laws and policies to protect women in different spheres of life.
In stepping up efforts to combat violence against women, President Mnangagwa launched the High-Level Political Compact on Eliminating Gender-Based Violence and Harmful Practices in 2021.
This initiative led to the development of the Zimbabwe National Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence (2023–2030), solidifying gender issues as a Government priority.
In May 2022, the harmonisation of marriage laws into the Marriages Act set 18 years as the minimum legal age for marriage, effectively outlawing forced and child marriages.
The law also introduced mandatory sentencing of 15 years for rape and aggravated indecent assault, with life imprisonment for offences committed under aggravated circumstances.
To tackle gender-based violence in the digital age, the Cyber and Data Protection Act was enacted in 2021, criminalising cyberbullying and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
Education and health gains
In the education sector, the Education Amendment Act prohibits the expulsion of pregnant girls and promotes affirmative action in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to boost female participation in male-dominated fields. Health and domestic violence have also received attention. The Domestic Violence Act of 2007 provides legal protection for survivors and long-term measures for prevention.
Economic and workplace protection
Women’s rights advocates have welcomed progressive steps in the workplace, such as the Labour Amendment Act (2019), which ensures women can work under equitable conditions. Further, the Zimbabwe Labour Amendment Act aligns with International Labour Organisation Convention 190, addressing workplace violence and harassment. Sanctions under the Act include dismissal and imprisonment for perpetrators of abuse.
The Public Service Commission’s Sexual Harassment Policy, launched in 2022, marked another milestone in the fight against workplace harassment.
Voices of advocacy
Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence founder and executive director Ms Sithabile Dewa praised the Government for Zimbabwe’s progressive Constitution. She highlighted the importance of Sections 17, 56 and 80, which provide for 50-50 gender representation in leadership positions.
“Most constitutions in many countries are not like that,” she said.
“So, it is something that we are really proud and grateful for.
“We just continue to urge the Government to fully align these three sections with the Electoral Act so that at least political parties are able to field candidates that are reflective of the demands of these sections, which is 50 percent women and 50 percent men in all key leadership positions.”
Women’s Action Group executive director Mrs Edinah Masiyiwa praised the country’s comprehensive legal framework.
“Actually, there were times when domestic violence was considered a private issue, which police could not deal with back then,” she said. “So, where we are now, we have that legal framework which allows us to seek recourse in case of any violation. We also have a framework which we can fall back on when it comes to health.”
In the Beijing +30 progress report for Zimbabwe, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa states that the country had finalised the review of the National Gender Policy (2024-2030) to ensure girls and women empowerment in all sectors.
“Implementation of the provisions of the revised National Gender Policy, which set out the national gender equality and women’s empowerment priorities across all sectors, presents an opportunity to address the gaps and accelerate actions towards the achievement of gender equality and women empowerment in Zimbabwe,” she said.
