By George Swarei
Zimbabwe is set to join the global community in observing International Women’s Day on March 8th, celebrating the economic, political, and social achievements of women and girls. Led by the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Hon. Monica Mutsvangwa (Sen), the nation will commemorate the day under the theme, “Invest in women: Accelerate progress,” highlighting the imperative to advance women’s empowerment across all sectors.
The event, recognized as a United Nations Calendar Event, aims to reflect on the progress made in women’s empowerment and address the challenges hindering gender equality. Despite significant strides, inequalities persist, underscoring the need for collective efforts to invest in women’s economic participation and access to education, health services, and financial resources.
Hon. Mutsvangwa outlined various initiatives undertaken by her ministry to promote women’s participation in key economic sectors such as agriculture, mining, tourism, trade, and manufacturing. These initiatives, aligned with the Gender Policy and the Broad-Based Women Economic Empowerment Framework, include providing tailor-made loans through the Women Development Fund, Zimbabwe Community Development Fund, and Zimbabwe Women Micro Finance Bank, as well as support from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation.
In her call to action, Hon. Mutsvangwa urged stakeholders to prioritize investment in women and adopt gender-responsive approaches to accelerate their empowerment. Collaboration among all sectors is essential to achieving poverty alleviation, provision of social services, and meeting the national vision for 2030.
The national celebrations will kick off on March 8th at Chitora Business Centre in Shurugwi District, Midlands Province, with subsequent provincial and district events planned to promote the importance of investing in women.
All Zimbabweans are encouraged to participate in the commemorations and contribute to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.
