Zimbabwe Supports Gender Equality at Global Women's Summit

• Zimbabwe is attending the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women to show commitment to gender equality
• Women Affairs Permanent Secretary Mavis Sibanda said the conference is where ideas are shared and learned

Zimbabwe’s presence at the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women is proof of its continued commitment to gender equality and women empowerment, a government official said on Tuesday.

Mavis Sibanda, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, said the forum is a platform for sharing knowledge where Zimbabwe will learn from the best and share experience and innovations.

She added that the meeting also provides an opportunity for bilateral and multilateral partnerships to push for gender parity.

The meeting is a global platform for countries to reaffirm their commitment to the Beijing Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Zimbabwe is represented at the meeting by Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development. According to Sibanda, the minister highlighted Zimbabwe’s progress over the years including:

Since adopting the Beijing Declaration, Zimbabwe has implemented reforms through policy initiatives, institutional frameworks and gender sensitive programming.

Mavis said the conference highlights the need for global action to close the gender gaps and put women at the centre of sustainable development efforts.

The conference also marks the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women when the Beijing Platform and Declaration for Action was reached as a plan of action for gender equality work globally.