Zimbabwe Hosts Young Women for ED Convention for 8500 Women

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to preside over the second Young Women for ED Convention at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), with more than 8,500 young women expected to attend.

The convention, being held four years after the inaugural gathering in March 2022, brings together young women affiliated with the ruling Zanu-PF party to discuss economic empowerment, business development, leadership and their contribution to Zimbabwe’s national development.

Founded by Tatenda Mavetera, Zimbabwe’s Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services, Young Women for ED aims to provide a platform for young women to engage with leaders and explore opportunities for economic participation. Tatenda said the gathering would allow participants to reflect on achievements made over the past five years and reaffirm their support for President Emmerson's leadership.

The convention is being held under the theme, “Enhancing and Building Partnerships for Young Women towards Vision 2030.” Delegates are expected to develop resolutions focused on strengthening the participation of young women in Zimbabwe’s economy.

Key Highlights:

• More than 8,500 young women are expected to attend the convention in Harare
• The event will focus on economic empowerment, business growth and leadership
• Participants will discuss ways to strengthen women’s role in Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030

One of the main objectives of the meeting is to enable women to transcend from small businesses to medium and big businesses. The organization would like to help young women grow their businesses, build capacity and be more economically successful, Tatenda said.

A number of Cabinet ministers will interact with participants about various opportunities in the agriculture, tourism, mining, youth development and women's affairs sectors. The purpose of the sessions is to enable young women to become aware of business opportunities within various sectors of the economy and to develop the skills to start and grow businesses.

The convention also falls within the overall context of Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 agenda that emphasizes women's empowerment and increased participation in leadership and decision making. Access to finance, land, markets and public procurement are important areas where the access of women to the economy can be improved, as identified in the country's National Development Strategy 2.

Tatenda says that Young Women for ED has reached into the political sphere in Zimbabwe. There are over 100 councilors, 12 MPs, three Cabinet ministers and two deputy Cabinet ministers in the organization.

The program also will focus on issues women encounter in pursuing their careers, business and family lives. Sandra Tagwirei, a business woman will be speaking on business, work and family commitments.

In 2024, Young Women for ED (YWED) earlier initiated an empowerment forum for college students to receive business support and revolving funds to encourage young women entrepreneurs to build entrepreneurial ideas during their college tenure.

This is expected to therefore be a forum for young women to engage in conversation about economic opportunities, leadership development and their contribution to Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 aspirations.