The success which the country enjoys in its HIV and AIDS response is greatly attributed to the dedication of Community and Village Health Workers, who tirelessly to deliver various services to the people, Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.
Advocate Mudenda said Community and Village Health Workers confidently deliver health policies with regards to HIV, hence the country enjoys the results of such dedication.
He said this on Friday in his key note address during the National AIDS Council (NAC), Parliamentarians HIV and AIDS Sensitization Workshop which was held at the New Parliament Building.
“We have seen how these workers are dedicated, dedicated walking on foot, walking on foot from village to village.
“How I wish many of us would be inspired, the majority of us want to be supervised but these men and women are on their own, carrying out government policies, trying to uplift the communities among whom they work as far as healthcare is concerned.
“I don’t know how they were trained, but what I can I tell you from those I have met is that they have confidence in their implementation of the health policies regarding HIV,” said Advocate Mudenda.
He also revealed that the country’s HIV response has been a huge success, showing resilience in the face of numerous challenges.
Advocate Mudenda said Zimbabwe had managed to achieve the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 95-95-95 targets.
The targets aim to ensure that 95 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those diagnosed with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 95 percent of those on ART achieve viral suppression.
Advocate Mudenda further revealed that these milestones speak to leadership commitment, the dedication of health professionals, the effectiveness of public health policies, and the strong partnerships the country has forged with civil society, international donors and development partners.
“It is critical to note that these successes were anchored on a robust legislative, policy and institutional framework. “At the heart of this health response was the robust primary healthcare system which has been the cornerstone of delivering HIV-related services to communities across the country.
“It is through this network of clinics, health centres, and importantly, Community and Village Health Workers that who have been able to expand access to HIV testing, treatment and care.
“These workers are the frontline soldiers for many Zimbabweans seeking healthcare delivery, particularly in rural areas where access to medical facilities is constrained.
“Community Health Workers have played a pivotal role in demystifying HIV, promoting voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), providing treatment adherence support and acting as a bridge between the healthcare system and the community.
“Without them, many of the most vulnerable populations would have been left behind.
“Yet, despite their critical role, we are faced with the worrying challenge of high staff attrition rates among healthcare professionals.
“Nurses, doctors and community health workers are increasingly leaving the country in search of the perceived greener pastures,” he said.
The Speaker of Parliament revealed that there is a deficit of 16 000 Village Health Workers, against a national target of 30,000.
He also revealed that according to the Zimbabwe Health Workforce Investment Compact, (2024 – 2026), Zimbabwe faces a need-based shortage of 57,573 health professionals and specialists.
“This attrition threatens the sustainability of the HIV programmes and other related healthcare imperatives. “However, it is encouraging that the Second Republic led by the visionary President Cde. Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa is putting in place effective skills retention measures to contain the situation.
“As such, health personnel that continue to shoulder on must be celebrated for their dedicated patriotism,” added Advocate Mudenda.
Happy moments…Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Shinichi Yamanaka, shares a lighter moment with Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, during the former’s courtesy call
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Zimbabwe is set to benefit from Japanese development experiences when Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Special Adviser, Dr Shinichi Kitaoka, gives a lecture to Parliamentarians and Senators during his scheduled visit next month.
This was revealed by the Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Shinichi Yamanaka, when he paid a courtesy call on Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda at New Parliament Building in Mount Hampden on Friday.
Ambassador Yamanaka said Dr Kitaoka’s lecture titled “Japan’s Development Journey”, will be delivered on October 8.
“Objectives of the lecture are to share information on Japan’s development experience, to identify lessons from Japan, for developing countries in Africa and to exchange ideas on development opportunities and paths for Africa.”
His Excellency Yamanaka further said that “we hope this lecture will contribute for the Sustainable Development of Zimbabwe based upon the past experiences of Japan.
“After the World War 2, we had a very difficult situation but we achieved and developed so maybe we can give some lessons to Zimbabwean people and Parliamentarians.”
The impending lecture is said to have been culmination of prior discussions which Ambassador Yamanaka had with Advocate Mudenda during a courtesy call in January this year.
It is said Advocate Mudenda had expressed his desire to learn from the Japanese development experience and Ambassador Yamanaka proposed to have Dr Kitaoka deliver a lecture.
JICA is said to have started establishing JICA Chair Lecture Series at various foreign universities and government entities in 2021.
And over the years, the programme has benefited countries such as Mozambique, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Madagascar and South Africa.
Prior to becoming Special Adviser to JICA, Dr Kitaoka is said to have been the President of JICA and previously, he was President of the International University of Japan.
“Dr Kitaoka’s academic career includes Professorship posts at top institutions such as: National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Graduate Schools of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo; and College of Law and Politics, Rikkyo University.
“He also served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations (2004-2006).
“Dr Kitaoka is an expert in modern Japanese politics and diplomacy.
“His qualifications include, BA (1971) and PhD (1976), both from the University of Tokyo. Dr Kitaoka is Emeritus Professor of the University of Tokyo. He is published author with various books and articles in Japanese and English. He is a recipient of several honours and awards including the Medal with Purple Ribbon for his academic achievements in 2011.”
Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora (far left) congratulates NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma, while NAC CEO Dr Bernard Madzima (second from right) and AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Country Program Manager, Dr Enerst Chikwatilook on
BY NEWSSPACE REPORTER
The media has a critical role in the HIV response, as it has the important mandate of giving the public the correct information, Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said.
Minister Mombeshora revealed this on Wednesday at the 8th National AIDS Council Media Awards Prize Giving Ceremony which was held in Harare.
And at the awards ceremony whose purpose is to celebrate journalists who consistently and accurately report on HIV and AIDS issues; NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma was awarded 2nd Position in the Online Category.
Minister Mombeshora revealed that the awards have now “become the most consistent and prestigious recognition of media excellence in reporting and covering HIV and related diseases.”
He added: “Zimbabwe adopted the multi-sectoral approach to HIV, which has enabled various sectors to participate and contribute to national efforts in taming the pandemic.
“The media has therefore always been part of the response to HIV from when the virus was first identified.
“It was the media that first raised awareness and educated people about HIV. Even though initial reports were fear inducing, they did what they were expected to achieve and our people became aware of HIV.”
Dr Mombeshora further revealed that, “the media remains a critical enabler of development and in particular a healthy nation.
“We need vibrant media that purvey correct information to the public for better health outcomes.
“I am very pleased that the National AIDS Council took this bold step to introduce the awards, which will without a doubt, create a healthy competition, which in turn will result in improved coverage in terms of both quality and quantity of coverage.
“I have been informed that coverage of HIV and health reporting in general have improved since the introduction of these awards eight years ago.”
Dr Mombeshora also revealed that the country had achieved tremendous successes in the response to HIV as we stand at a critical juncture towards epidemic control and sustaining it.
He also revealed that latest global evidence has indicated that Zimbabwe achieved the highest HIV decline between 2010 and 2023 than any other country.
“We have also achieved the 95-95-95 targets and our people living with HIV are living longer improved lives.
“These achievements must be sustained. You will agree with me it’s not an easy task as we continue to be diverted by various other health challenges, including emergences such as COVID-19 and M-pox.
“These emergencies are providing us with critical lessons going forward, particularly the need to build a robust and broad-based health system that emphasizes universal health coverage and anchored on a sustainable primary health care system.
“An all-inclusive public funded health insurance is therefore imperative as we strengthen our health system to adequately respond to regular conditions and emergencies.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this shows that HIV does not occur in isolation as there are several social, economic and health factors that affect it. Already we are faced with rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), most of which are associated with HIV, especially cervical cancer.
“We therefore need to scale up interventions in this regard, keeping our people informed and how they can prevent the NCDs as well as creating pathways to care,” said Dr Mombeshora.
Minister Mombeshora (front row, second from left) and other dignitaries, pose for picture with the winners
Minister Mombeshora said the media hence a critical role of informing the people as well as highlighting both successes and deficiencies of our response.
“Robust policies and programmes result from broad-based engagement that is influenced by awareness and access to information.
“There are areas in our response in which such vibrant engagement is required to address attendant gaps.
“While our 95-95-95 coverage is commendable among adults, we are still lagging behind among children.
“We are also witnessing more cases of HIV among adolescent girls and young women and key populations.
“We therefore need multi-stakeholder engagement to identify and address challenges that cause bottle necks in these areas.
“We are counting on the media to report such gaps and amplify voices of those affected so that together we can find lasting solutions to the challenges.
“While there are thousands of reporters doing the same work, there are some among them who are going an extra mile.
“They do it better because they are driven by a passion for quality and for social change, towards a better society.
“They invest that passion together with time and creativity to produce socially impacting news and feature articles. Today, ladies and gentlemen, is about celebrating those who go an extra mile – who do not wait for news but seek news and creatively report it to create social change,” he added.
He applauded all editors and journalists who are dedicated to keep the nation informed about HIV and AIDS and all other health issues surrounding the people.
NewsSpace Reporter, Munyaradzi Doma poses with his certificate and shield
In his welcome remarks at the awards, NAC Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Madzima said the media awards are predicated on the need to keep the HIV story alive in the face of competing stories from other sectors and the general belief that HIV is no longer an interesting topic given our progress in preventing new cases and scaling up Anti-Retroviral Therapy coverage.
“We therefore started the media awards to revitalise coverage and promote excellence among reporters and media houses.
“Apart from the ordinary competition from economic, political and societal stories, the HIV story has faced competition from emerging epidemics such as COVID-19 and Mpox and non-communicable diseases.
“We do not seek to create competition for media coverage between HIV and other health issues but to promote integrated health reporting cognizant of the link between HIV and these issues.
“These awards are an addition to the already functional partnership that we have with the media. Our partnership includes taking both editors and journalists on media tours to some hard-to-reach communities to facilitate coverage of key interventions and media workshops.
“We also regularly support top winners of these awards to attend various international HIV conference, resources permitting,” he said.
He added that for them, the media awards are more than just about giving prizes, as they are also about making an impact in people’s lives.
“Well-wishers have responded to some of the stories journalists have covered during NAC media tours and workshops and paid school fees for a number of girls in various Sista2Sista Clubs.
“The latest in this case is a girl based in Hurungwe who received a scholarship for her university education, financed by a UK based well-wisher.
“Following stories on SASA, which is a community mobilization approach to prevent violence against women, three perpetrators of gender-based violence came forward and openly spoke to the community leaders in Shamva about how radio stories on gender-based violence in their area had led them to change their ways.
“We also have a case of one girl from a Sista2Sista Club who has been invited for on the job training at a media house to develop her interest as a journalist, after field interviews by reporters in Mhangura.
“I would also like to applaud some journalists, who I won’t mention but they pooled resources to pay school fees for needy and vulnerable girls identified during a media tour,” added Dr Madzima.
He also revealed that in line with the rules of the awards, winners were selected through media monitoring so as not to promote prize driven reporters.
“Our awards are anchored on recognition of passion, consistency and correctness.”
Journalists were awarded in the Online, Print, Electronic and Most Promising Categories, while others got certificates of appreciation for consistent reporting on HIV and AIDS issues.
ZGC Chairperson, Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
This year’s National Gender Forum which will be held in Gwanda this Friday, will come up with recommendations which should be implemented so as to advance gender equality on a national scale.
This was revealed by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) Chairperson, Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe, during a press conference on Tuesday.
She was speaking ahead of the 2024 National Gender Forum, where the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, will be the guest of honour.
The National Gender Forum is built upon discussions from the Provincial Forums.
“What normally happens is that out of the National Gender Forums, there are going to be recommendations to specific institutions to take action on specific issues.
“So we will take those recommendations and forward them to those institutions which are supposed to respond.
“They are going to respond at the forum but we are also going to follow up to make sure that whatever has been raised is actually implemented.
“We make sure what whatever has been raised is actually taken care of, so that when we look at the next year’s gender forum, we look back at the recommendations from the last gender forum and see whether they have been implemented, if not, then we need to take them up again,” said Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe.
The theme for this year’s National Gender Forum is, “Gender, Environment, and Climate Change: Building Resilience and Sustainable Development through Gender Equality”.
The theme highlights the crucial intersection of gender issues with environmental challenges.
Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe further revealed that the “ZGC had successfully conducted nine Provincial Gender Forums across the country and these were vital for collecting local insights and addressing regional gender issues, involving community members, experts and stakeholders in impactful discussions.
“Gwanda has been chosen as this year’s host as part of the ZGC’s initiative to rotate the event across all 10 provinces, in alignment with the Government’s devolution drive.
“This rotation ensures that every region engages with national gender issues.
“Gwanda’s unique climate-related challenges, including significant impacts from the El Niño-induced drought, make it a critical location for discussing the intersection of gender, environment, and climate change.”
She further added that, “the interplay between gender, environment, and climate change is profound.
“Climate change often exacerbates gender inequalities by disrupting livelihoods, increasing food insecurity, and aggravating water and energy challenges.
“Women, particularly in Zimbabwe, face heightened vulnerabilities due to their reliance on natural resources.
“Addressing these challenges through gender-sensitive approaches is essential for fostering resilience and achieving sustainable development.
“The theme underscores the urgency of integrating gender perspectives into environmental policies, especially given the impacts of the El Niño- induced drought Zimbabwe is facing.”
She added that objectives of this year’s National Gender Forum include, map environmental and climate change challenges: identify specific issues affecting Zimbabwe, understand gendered impacts: examine how environmental degradation and climate change affect men and women differently and develop recommendations: propose strategies to build resilience and promote sustainable development through gender equality.
Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano speaking to journalists during a tour of their mobile clinic
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) refers to healthcare system where everyone in a country or region has access to essential healthcare services, without facing financial hardship.
Among other issues UHC seeks to ensure accessibility, affordability, equity and quality in healthcare, which is one of the aims of Government.
And with that same approach, Zimbabwe’s largest private medical aid society, health and wellness service provider, Cimas Health Group; is set to achieve this with its recently acquired state of the art mobile clinic.
Journalists had a tour of the mobile clinic at the recently held Harare Agricultural Show, as they got an appreciation of this health game changer initiative.
Cimas Health Group’s Head Clinics, Dr Travolta Mushayamano, said the initiative will take health services to the hard to reach areas of the country.
“You can be able to provide health care in the comfort of the person’s locality and really for those communities where the nearest health care facility can be kilometres away from where they stay.
“So that is the advantage of having a clinic that is on wheels and is able to do basically everything that you can find in a brick and mortar facility.
“It has the capacity to go to the communities, those hard to reach areas, so that is the plan.
“We have the Sustainable Development Goals and the main thrust there is that we should have Universal Health Coverage; so we understand that it not an assignment of the Government only. “So we come in to complement that and we should be able to reach the most peripheral parts of Zimbabwe, hardest to reach areas like Dotito, Muzarabani and go there with a clinic which is fully functional, same way you will have with a brick and mortar clinic,” said Dr Mushayamano.
He added that their mobile clinic has basically everything, including an ultra-sound scan for pregnant women.
“We have the equipment to do even minor procedures, when we visit places like mining areas where there are risks of injuries.
“The mobile clinic is registered with the Medical Aid Funders Association so what it means is that we can to be able to offer it to anyone who has a medical aid and claim from their medical aid but it also offers services on cash payment.
“So far we are trying to identify areas where you have limited capacity and the nearest health centres are quite far, like some mining areas, so we are trying to map how we are going to operate.
“We know that majority of our population lives in the rural areas so the health care data and access to health has to cover that population because that’s where most of the people are.
“So if we have more of these units, it actually helps a lot and it gives us much more quality data for reporting because really there are instances where people who are towards the borders even cross to access health care services.
“So this kind of services shall cover quite a lot of people and when we go to such hard to reach areas, we might have medical tourism from these border areas,” he said.
Dr Mushayamano added that they have plans to increase the units, but it all depends on the uptake of the service and how efficient it’s going to be.
“Initially we had actually planned to have two units, but then we decided to have one and see how it operates before expansion.”
Cimas Health Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda, leads journalists on a tour of the mobile clinic
Similar sentiments were also shared by the group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tatenda Madzikanda, who said they are complementing the health systems that have been put in place by Government as well as other private healthcare players.
“This is a new service that we are offering and that (trip to a farm in Mhondoro) was our pilot trip.
“And we intend to come up with a schedule in terms of areas that we can service, depending with the need. But definitely we know there are members that have been asking us to come up with this innovation and I trust the uptake will actually be very high.
“So this is a first in its kind for us to be doing this and I think it’s based on research and input that we have gotten from our members.
“The pilot study was very successful; we did two days and based from the feedback from the patients; they actually wanted us to come back again the other day.
“So our outreach trips are going to be structured in such a way that we spend a week at a certain place so members in that area would then know that the Cimas mobile clinic is going to be coming first week of every month or last week of every month.
“So this is what we are in the process of coming up with and we trust very soon we will be able to do that.”
ZimSmart Villages team, at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The advancement of e-health and e-commerce has really brought innovation to communities, providing people with technological solutions in this fast paced world.
And many such innovations have bridged the technology gap and in terms of e-health, it has increased access, hence communities have healthier lives.
One such technological advancement, BatsiHealth, a ZimSmart Villages innovation, was showcased at the recently held Harare Agricultural Show.
To know more about this innovation, NewsSpace Reporter MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA (MBD), interviewed ALSANDRAH KUVAOGA(AK) Commercial Manager at ZimSmart Villages, which comprises of BatsiHealth and XMarketplace.
MBD: Who is behind BatsiHealth?
AK: BatsiHealth is one of the three pillars of ZimSmart Villages, an organisation that is leveraging technology in the provision of e-commerce and e-health mainly targeting underserved communities. This is done through the setting-up of kiosks in the communities which are access points for e-health and e-commerce.
MBD: When was it established?
AK: BatsiHealth was established in 2023 with the first Kiosk being launched this year, 2024.
MBD: What was the purpose of its establishment?
AK: Zimbabwe faces a significant burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly diabetes and hypertension. These conditions are becoming increasingly prevalent, contributing to the country’s mortality rates. Despite this growing crisis, many Zimbabweans, particularly in rural and underserved areas, lack adequate access to healthcare services, information, and resources necessary for managing these diseases effectively. The lack of access to healthcare exacerbates the plight of these communities.
BatsiHealth was born out of a vision to address these multifaceted challenges. Our story began with a simple but powerful idea – to leverage technology and community initiatives to create sustainable solutions to Zimbabwe’s pressing problems. On the other hand the e-commerce leg compliments e-health by ensuring individuals are economically self-sufficient to access services.
MBD: Andhow do people access BatsiHealth?
AK: To access BatsiHealth, you visit http://www.vakaafya.com or download the application on Play Store or App Store, the app name is Vakaafya BatsiHealth.
MBD: How has it been so far, how has been the reception by members of the public?
AK: BatsiHealth has been progressing steadily. The public’s response has been positive, with a growing number of people showing interest in the platform, especially in underserved communities where healthcare access has been limited. We have also been conducting outreach programs where we screen for hypertension and diabetes for free and we also provide medication for free – these have been well-received, as they offer tangible benefits to individuals in need of medical services who may not always have funds to access healthcare. We’ve seen increasing sign-ups and inquiries, which indicates that people are recognizing the value we bring in terms of accessible healthcare.
MBD: Anything you can add on the platform?
AK: BatsiHealth is designed to provide a range of healthcare services, with a strong emphasis on convenience and accessibility. The platform offers online consultations with medical professionals, allowing patients to seek advice and treatment from the comfort of their homes. In addition, we offer remote monitoring services for individuals under ongoing treatment, ensuring they receive consistent care and can track their health progress without the need for frequent in-person visits.
We have also incorporated a Buy Medicine chatbot, which streamlines the process of ordering medication online. This feature enhances convenience for patients by making it easier to get prescriptions delivered to their doorstep. The chatbot also assists in booking appointments for doctor’s consultations and laboratory tests.
Recognizing that not everyone in remote areas has access to smartphones or reliable internet, we’ve set up kiosks in those communities. These kiosks bridge the digital divide, enabling people to access healthcare services directly through the platform, regardless of their tech limitations. By doing so, we are ensuring that no one is left behind, regardless of their location or access to technology.
MBD: How was it participating at this year’s Agric Show?
AK: The Agricultural Show was an excellent opportunity for us to engage directly with the public and raise awareness about BatsiHealth. People were keen to learn about how we can bridge the gap between healthcare access and technology. The engagement was productive, as we had conversations with potential partners and individuals who are now interested in using our platform. It also got us to understand pain points more and we have since realized that while we focused on bridging the digital divide in remote areas, even in big towns it is present and we will have to work on bridging that as well.
There is need for concerted efforts if we are to come up with tangible solutions to end or reduce traffic road accidents which continue to kill or maim people, Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) National Coordinator Tafadzwa Goliati, has said.
Goliati revealed this as he said as PAZ, they applauded the Government through the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development, on the recent review and implementation of the Radius Based restrictions for commuter omnibus from the current 120 kms to 60 kms. “As an organization, we are also concerned on the increasing rates of road carnages on our roads.
“We feel that concerted efforts should be carried out by all concerned stakeholders to come up with tangible solutions to reduce or totally end road carnages, which continue to kill or maim citizens of the country,” said Goliati.
He also revealed that they were in support of the initiative to enforce terms of section 3 (1) of Statutory Instrument 118 of 2023, prohibiting vehicles from operating without installation of speed limiting and monitoring devices.
“Our organization also applauds the move which we feel is part of efforts to minimise carnages.
“We also wish to highlight that we feel that there are other areas which may not be accessible due to the limitation, emphasizing the need for alternative and safe public transport systems which government in our view should promote and facilitate its implementation.
“There are some long distance routes which we feel will also be affected and effective alternative modes of transportation should be availed to travellers.
“We can also cite an example of travellers, going to areas like Sanyati and Gokwe whom we feel are likely to face transport challenges since they come from far off areas.
“They are also severely affected by the poor rural road network,” said Goliati.
He added that they are also concerned on the issues of policing and urge the responsible agencies to be on top of the situation, be well equipped and to monitor corruption.
“On some of the routes, we even see passengers precariously sitting on top of speeding kombi roofs.
“This poses danger to passengers. We have seen some of these kombis ferrying passengers on roof tops, evading roadblocks or at times being left to pass through roadblocks.
“Then as an organisation, we tend to question the seriousness of policing and law enforcement if we are to minimise road carnages.
“We have on several times seen kombis carrying touts, dangling like carrots and hanging outside moving vehicles.
“This seems to have been normalised and no law enforcement is seen to be applied, something we as PAZ feel is being allowed and is dangerous to those who engage in such behaviour.
“We also have a concern on insecure and heavy loading of passengers and goods which can affect vehicle mobility,” he added.
It however remains to be seen if the new regulations will be adhered to as some commuter omnibus operators have been left to drive with impunity, engaging in dangerous acts risking the lives of other road users.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission Chairperson, Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
While women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, they are not only victims but they are also vital agents of change, Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) Chairperson, Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe has said.
Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe added that women are also leaders in environmental conservation and sustainable development, hence they need all the support they deserve.
She was speaking at the 2024 Harare Provincial Gender Forum in Chitungwiza on Wednesday.
The Provincial Gender Forums were being held as a build up to the National Gender Forum, which is set to be held in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province on September 13.
And the Provincial Gender Forum was being held under the theme, ”Gender, Environment and Climate Change: Building Resilience and Sustainable Development through Gender Equality”.
“In as much as women and girls bear the brunt of environment and climate change challenges, we also acknowledge that women are not only victims of environment and climate change challenges, but they are also vital agents of change.
“They are often the leaders in environmental conservation and sustainable development hence the need to also support women’s leadership in climate decision making as well as support them to develop climate resilient livelihoods,” said Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe.
Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe said the Provincial Gender Forum deliberated on the gendered impact of environment and climate change challenges in the country and produce policy recommendations for improving the situation.
“This year’s Provincial Gender Forum is taking place at the backdrop of the 2023/2024 farming season being declared a drought year due to the El Nino phenomenon resulting in the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Dr. E.D Mnangagwa declaring the situation a state of emergency.
“Further, we also note other worrying environment and climate change challenges ranging from environmental degradation due to illegal and irresponsible mining activities, water, land and air pollution, mounting water and sanitation challenges and wetlands disruption among many other challenges.
“This year’s theme highlights the interconnection between gender, the environment, and climate change.
“Although men and women are impacted similarly by environment and climate change, women are disproportionately affected as they rely heavily on the environment for household provision and livelihoods.
“The impact however threatens to reverse the gains made over the years in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment by further exacerbating vulnerabilities through disrupted livelihoods, increased food insecurity, and compounded water and energy challenges,” she revealed.
She added that the interconnectedness between gender, environment and climate change in Zimbabwe is complex and multifaceted.
Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe revealed that by understanding these interconnected factors, we can work towards gender-equitable solutions that address the unique challenges faced by women in the context of environment and climate change through adopting gender-sensitive approaches to climate resilience and environmental sustainability.
part of the crowd that attended the Provincial Gender Forum
Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe said some of the factors include: “Gender roles and responsibilities: women are often responsible for natural resource management, such as collecting water and firewood, and farming.
“This makes them more vulnerable to climate-related changes in weather patterns and natural resources.
“Climate change impacts: Climate change exacerbates existing environmental challenges in Zimbabwe, including droughts, floods, and soil erosion. These impacts disproportionately affect women, who have limited access to resources, technology, and decision-making power.
“Environmental degradation: Deforestation, land degradation, and water pollution affect women’s livelihoods and health, as they rely on these resources for their daily needs.
“Agriculture and food security: Women are critical to agriculture and food security in Zimbabwe. “Climate change affects crop yields, livestock productivity, and food availability, placing additional burdens on women.
“Disaster risk reduction: Women are often excluded from decision-making processes related to disaster risk reduction and management, making them more vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
“Access to resources and technology: Women have limited access to climate-resilient technologies, such as solar-powered irrigation systems, and resources like credit and extension services.
“Cultural and social norms: Societal norms and expectations can limit women’s ability to adapt to climate change, as they may be restricted from participating in decision-making processes or accessing resources.
“Policy and programming: Gender-sensitive policies and programs are essential to address the gender-environment-climate change nexus in Zimbabwe. This includes integrating gender into climate change policies, providing training and capacity-building programs for women, and supporting women’s participation in decision-making processes.”
She also revealed that as ZGC, they acknowledge the tremendous efforts by multi-sectoral stakeholders in implementing various climate action and environmental protection initiatives.
And she added that they acknowledge efforts by Government in facilitating a conducive environment towards transforming society to be more gender sensitive.
“This also includes climate change policies in particular the recent adoption of the Zimbabwe Climate Change Gender Action Plan which provides a framework for mainstreaming gender in the climate change agenda.
“However, we note the need to move from policy to practice.
“It is therefore my hope that this Provincial Gender Forum will provide a platform to interrogate further the above issues and explore mitigation and adaptation strategies.
“Key among these is harnessing indigenous knowledge systems to address the existing environment and climate change challenges,” she noted.
Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi (right) and her Deputy, Tongai Mnangagwa
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
This year’s Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo which will be held in Bulawayo from September 12 to 14, will host three conferences, the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Masterclass, Tourism Scholastic Conference and the Zimbabwe Investment Forum.
Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi, speaking at a press conference on Wednesday; said “the conferences will bring together industry leaders, experts, and professionals from around the world to engage in insightful discussions, share innovative ideas, and explore the latest trends in the Tourism Industry.”
Minister Rwodzi added that the “MICE Masterclass is aimed at capacitating all stakeholders on MICE tourism promotion.
“We are bringing MICE experts from across Africa to deliberate on pertinent issues regarding MICE tourism development and growth.”
She added that this year’s expo will be bigger and better, as there will be elaborate sustainable tourism initiatives and gastronomy tourism showcase, all meant to ensure that the tourism value chain is represented at Sanganai/Hlanganani 2024.
“The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation Science and Technology Development, will for the first time feature Tourism Innovation Hubs.
“This initiative is aimed at supporting youth in academia and exposing their ideas to the global community. One of the key beneficiaries of this noble initiative is the production of fresh organic juices from indigenous fruits,” said Minister Rwodzi.
Minister Rwodzi also revealed that to date, 410 companies have registered to participate at the expo, while eight countries namely South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Tanzania, Embassy of Iran, Angola and Nigeria, will be bringing operators from their countries.
She also revealed that 142 buyers had so far confirmed their attendance at the tourism expo.
Speed Networking – 1 DAY (12 SEPTEMBER 2024)
Speed networking at the Sanganai World Tourism Expo offers a dynamic platform for industry professionals to connect efficiently and effectively. This fast-paced format allows participants to engage in brief, focused conversations, fostering immediate connections with potential business partners, tourism stakeholders, and service providers.
Attendees can share insights, explore collaboration opportunities and discuss innovative ideas within a limited timeframe, making it an ideal setting for building relationships and expanding networks in the tourism sector.
By maximizing interactions, speed networking enhances the overall experience of the expo, promoting growth and synergy among participants. Book your meetings and make sure you are available for the meetings on time.
NETWORKING EVENTS
Buyers and Media Cocktail (12 September 2024)
The Buyers and Media Cocktail at the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo is an exclusive event designed to foster networking and collaboration between industry buyers and media professionals.
The Cocktail will be held on the 12th of September 2024. This informal gathering provides a unique opportunity for attendees to engage in meaningful conversations, share insights, and explore potential partnerships in a relaxed setting.
The focus will be on building relationships, the cocktail event encourages the exchange of ideas and experiences, ultimately enhancing the visibility of exhibitors and promoting the diverse offerings of Zimbabwe’s tourism sector.
Official Opening and Awards Ceremony
(13 September 2024)
The Official Opening and Awards Ceremony will be held on the 13th of September 2024 at the ZITF Hall 2. The Guest of Honor to be announced in due course.
AWARDS NARRATIONS – 2024
There will be 3 winners in each category; that is the 2nd Runner Up, 1st Runner Up and the Winner.
The categories are:
1.Best Hotel Stand
The award is presented to a hotel facility stand that portrays the quality of product offered through excellent displays of hotel products, collateral and demonstration of product and service knowledge combined with willingness to meet customers’ needs.
2. Best Lodges Stand
The award is presented to a lodge facility stand that portrays the quality of product offered through excellent displays of the lodge’s products, collateral and demonstration of product and service knowledge combined with willingness to meet customers’ needs.
3. Best Safari Camp Stand
The award is presented to a Safari camp that portrays an authentic, eye catching and visually appealing design that captures the essence of a safari experience.
4. Best Tour Operator Stand
The award is presented to a tour operator stand that exhibits the essence of travel excitement, offering visitors a glimpse into memorable and well-organized travel experience.
5. Best Airline Stand
This award is presented to an airline stand that best portrays its commitment to innovation, customer service, safety and overall passenger experience.
6. Best Car Hire Stand
This award is presented to a stand in the car hire category that shows excellent ability to offer quality service and wide range of vehicles.
7. Best Green Tourism Stand
This award is presentedto a stand that priorities environmental sustainability and minimizes carbon footprint.
8. Best Community Based Tourism Stand
This award is presented to a stand depicting local communities’ contribution to visitor experience and tourism growth.
This award is presented to a stand depicting religious sites and showcasing religious events.
12. Best Public Institution Stand
The award is presented to a Public Institution stand that depicts the institutions’ core business through innovative stand displays, collateral, and quality engagement of staff through information dissemination thus demonstrating knowledge of the business represented.
13. Best Publicity Association Stand
The award is presented to a Publicity Association that shows strong tourism marketing focus of the region represented through display of collateral from relevant tourism players on their stand.
14. Best Training Institution Stand
This award is presented to a tourism and hospitality training institution stand that has been effective and innovative in show casing its programs, engaging with visitors and conveying its educational offerings.
15. Best Tourism Related Facility Stand
The Award is presented to a stand that portrays the warmth, authenticity and unique offerings appealing to travelers looking for personalized business experience and local charm.
16. Best First Time Exhibitor Stand
This award is presented to a first-time exhibitor who has shown innovation and knowledge of the tourism product and aspire to market the destination.
17. Best Provincial Stand
In the spirit of devolution, this award is presentedto the province which depicts all tourism gems in their province and also showcase tourism investment opportunities within that province.
18. Best Gastronomy Stand
This award is presented to a stand that depicts the stories and history behind traditional local recipes, emphasizing each dish’s cultural significance.
19. Best Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) Stand
This award is presented to a stand that depicts provision of facilities and services for conferences, meetings, events and exhibitions.
20. Best Zimbabwe Stand
This award is presentedto a local exhibitor that would have put up an outstanding exhibition through quality and origination.
21. Best International Stand
This award is presentedto an international exhibitor that would have put up an outstanding exhibition through quality and origination.
22. Best Overall Stand
This award is presented to a stand that has depicted the best in in terms of first impression, originality, information dissemination and the overall quality presented by the personnel manning the stand despite the exhibitor category.
Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi
BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The first half of the year saw the country’s tourism sector demonstrating significant growth as international arrivals increased by 27 percent to 751,483 up from 592,567, compared to the same period last year, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi has said.
Minister Rwodzi added that correspondingly, tourism receipts saw a 24 percent rise, reaching US$493 million compared to US$398 million in the first half of last year.
She revealed this on Wednesday as she launched the month of September as the Tourism Month, which seeks to raise awareness on the importance of tourism.
World Tourism Day will be celebrated on September 27 under the theme, “Tourism and Peace,” and a lot of activities have been lined up in the build-up.
Minister Rwodzi said the celebrations were coming on the background of renewed global tourism recovery with Zimbabwe also experiencing significant growth over the 2023/2024 period.
“The sector continues to be a vital contributor to Zimbabwe’s economy, accounting for approximately 5.7 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and 3.5 percent of national employment, underscoring its pivotal role in driving economic development and job creation.
“The ongoing investment into the tourism sector coupled with improvement in the enabling infrastructure including airports and road network improvement is bound to spur Zimbabwe in achieving the USD5 billion tourism economy by 2025,” said Minister Rwodzi.
Minister Rwodzi said the World Tourism Day which has been celebrated annually on the 27th of September since 1980, was set aside by the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism), formerly United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), to foster awareness amongst the international community on the importance of tourism economically, socially, culturally and environmentally.
“The 1st of September marks the beginning of the 2024 World Tourism Month.
“Among the events for the month is the Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo which will be held in Bulawayo during the period 11 to 13 September.
“This event is bringing in both local and international communities to come and showcase their products. Side events will also be taking place during the period such as, MICE Master class, Tourism investment forum, Tourism scholastic, gastronomy hub, among others.
“This will be followed by a Tourism Symposium to be held at Lupane State University on 19 September, where papers will be presented on how Tourism contributes to national and global Peace.
“After the Symposium, there will be a Sport tournament on the 21st September in Gokwe Kabuyani Constituency aimed at promoting Sports Tourism.
“The Tourism Month will be concluded by the World Tourism Day Main Celebrations on the 27th of September 2024 at Gandavaroyi Gorge, in Gokwe Gumunyu Constituency, a hidden gem in Midlands Province,” she said.
Minister Rwodzi also revealed that the main celebrations are hosted by provinces on a rotational basis.
And she also revealed that by targeting different provinces each year, the ministry’s aim is to fulfil the National Vision of leaving no place and no one behind and ensure equitable distribution of tourism resources and benefits.
NEWSSPACE 