The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) recently convened the Masvingo Provincial Gender Forum on July 17, 2025, at Bethany House, Sisters of the Child Jesus. This forum, a precursor to the National Gender Forum, held particular significance this year as it commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Commission’s establishment in 2015. The theme, “ZGC @ 10: Reflecting on Achievements and the Future for Gender Equality in Zimbabwe,” set the stage for a crucial dialogue on the progress made and the challenges that remain in achieving gender equality.
These Provincial Gender Forums are strategically designed to capture insights and experiences from the grassroots level, ensuring that the national discourse on gender equality is informed by diverse perspectives. The Masvingo forum brought together stakeholders from various sectors to engage in focused deliberations on critical gender-related issues.
Participants engaged in eight Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), covering a wide range of themes crucial to gender equality. These included political participation and leadership, gender-based violence alongside cultural and religious barriers, legal and constitutional rights, women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion, gender and health, education, technology, as well as gender, peace, and security. My Age Zimbabwe Trust actively participated in FGD 5, centered on gender and health, contributing to the group’s key discussions and findings.
The discussion on gender and health revealed significant strides made over the past decade in improving health outcomes for women, men, and young people. Key achievements highlighted included the provision of free prostate and cervical cancer screenings in public health facilities, the implementation of integrated outreach programs targeting underserved communities, particularly young people and men, and the availability of free maternal health and sexual and reproductive health services for adolescents and youth.
Despite these advancements, the focus group also acknowledged persistent challenges hindering equitable access to healthcare. Financial constraints remain a significant hurdle, with patients often required to purchase unavailable medication from public facilities, disproportionately affecting those with limited financial resources. Geographical barriers persist, with some remote communities located considerable distances from the nearest clinic, exacerbated by the lack of mothers’ waiting shelters. Furthermore, men’s reluctance to seek medical assistance, stemming from limited awareness and deeply rooted cultural norms, presents an ongoing challenge. Human resource shortages caused by staff attrition also continue to strain the health service delivery system.
The session concluded with a reflection on the ten key pillars of the national gender policy and underscored the importance of stakeholder understanding and implementation to achieve tangible results in advancing gender equality. Recommendations emphasized the necessity of community-driven health strategies, increased awareness programs for men’s health, infrastructural development in remote areas, and resource mobilization to address medication shortages.
The Masvingo Provincial Forum reaffirmed ZGC’s dedication to inclusive dialogue and evidence-based planning, ensuring that local perspectives inform the upcoming 2025 National Gender Forum. This forum will be instrumental in charting the next phase of Zimbabwe’s journey towards gender equality, building on the achievements of the past decade while addressing the challenges that remain.
