Source: EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN, YOUTHS BEARING FRUIT — PRESIDENT – herald
Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT efforts to empower women and youths, as well as improve service delivery and domesticate mineral value chains and beneficiation, are “yielding positive results”, President Mnangagwa has said.
Addressing mourners at the burial of national hero Brigadier-General (Retired) Jonathan Willie Hungwe on Friday, the President said his administration remained committed to empowering all citizens, particularly youths and women, through various development initiatives being implemented across the country.
His remarks came ahead of today’s commemorations of International Women’s Day.
“Our collective efforts to improve service delivery, domesticate critical mineral value chains and beneficiation, as well as to empower our youth and women, are yielding positive results,” said President Mnangagwa.
“Takawirirana kuti nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo (Together, we agreed that a country is built, governed and prayed for by its people). Under the Second Republic, we will never grow tired of building a modern and industrialised Zimbabwe.”
This year’s International Women’s Day commemorations are running under the theme “Give To Gain”.
Zimbabwe has recorded several milestones in advancing women’s empowerment, including reserving seats for women in Parliament and local authorities as part of deliberate efforts to achieve gender parity in leadership and decision-making.
Separately, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the Government was reviewing the National Broad-Based Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework to remove cultural norms that hinder women’s empowerment.
She said the move aligns with the recently launched National Gender Policy, which seeks to ensure women’s voices are fully represented in decision-making processes.
Minister Mutsvangwa made the remarks on Friday at the International Women’s Day Conference and Exhibition held in Harare ahead of the global commemorations taking place in New York today, where she will be representing Zimbabwe.
“My ministry is revising the National Broad-Based Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework to dismantle cultural norms and unlock access to resources.
“We have launched the National Gender Policy to ensure women’s voices are not just heard, but heeded at every table where decisions are made,” she said.
“To champion the well-being of women, we have established one-stop centres and mobile units; integrated hubs that provide holistic support. We have also equipped thousands of women with practical skills in high-demand sectors, enabling them to build sustainable livelihoods and drive national development from the ground up.”
She said access to finance for women had been expanded through the Women’s Development Fund, the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund, the Women’s Microfinance Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO).
“These are not just institutions; they are bridges connecting women to the capital they need to turn ideas into enterprises and dreams into realities. We are not simply implementing programmes. We are changing lives. Every loan disbursed, every woman trained, every business born — these are the threads weaving a new story for Zimbabwe,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“And this story is being written by the resilience, innovation and determination of Zimbabwean women themselves, who are driving transformation at the grassroots.”
She added that there was need to formalise operations in the informal sector so that women could access greater protection and economic opportunities.
“To the women and girls of Zimbabwe, believe in yourself. Support each other. Never give up on your dreams. You are the architects of your own destiny and the foundation upon which our nation will rise,” she said.
“To the men and boys of Zimbabwe, be our allies. Be our champions. Stand with us, walk with us and join us in this journey. This is not a women’s fight; it is a human fight. And when we fight together, we win together.
“Let us build a Zimbabwe where women and girls can thrive. A nation where they can live free from violence, where their potential is unleashed and where they can reach and exceed their full potential.”
The commemorations, she said, were also being guided by the theme “Give to Gain”, which calls for collective action in sharing knowledge, resources and opportunities while amplifying the voices and visibility of women.
“When we give, we do not lose. We gain a nation where every woman and girl can rise. In Zimbabwe, we are guided by a fundamental belief: When women thrive, the nation prospers. Our Government remains unwavering in its commitment to empowering women and girls, yet we know that sustainable change cannot be achieved alone,” she added.
“It demands a united front. We call upon every Zimbabwean, every organisation and every stakeholder to join us. Together, we will ensure that the women of Zimbabwe have what they need to lead, to prosper and to shape our collective future. ‘Give to Gain’ is a way of seeing the world. It is the quiet decision to share our time, our knowledge and our resources, trusting that generosity sets in motion a ripple of empowerment.”
Minister Mutsvangwa also called for a united effort to confront the challenges still facing women.
“Let us be honest about the struggles that remain. As women, we continue to face barriers: limited access to land, gaps in digital literacy, restricted market entry and financial exclusion. These are not small obstacles; they are walls that confine our potential and limit our economic freedom. But we also know this: We have the power to shape the future. We have the strength to break barriers and challenge stereotypes. We have the resilience to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness. These challenges do not define us. Our response to them does.”
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