Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development

Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development is a government ministry in Zimbabwe. The ministry is currently headed by Sithembiso Nyoni. The ministry's stated key result area is mobilisation of women and communities, the other two are economic empowerment of women and communities and gender mainstreaming.

History

Oppah Muchinguri was appointed Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development in 2005. ^[1]

In September 2013, Abigail Damasane was appointed to be the Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Development Community, Oppah Muchinguri was appointed to be the Minister of Women's Affairs, Gender and Development Community]]. ^[2]

Following the 23-24 August 2023 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced his new cabinet on 11 September 2023. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs Community Small and Medium Enterprises (with a new name) is headed by Monica Mutsvangwa with deputy Jennifer Mhlanga. ^[3]

Ministry's Initiatives

In May 2018, the ministry opened a micro-finance institution focused on women called the Zimbabwe Women's Microfinance Bank.

Ministry Focus

The Ministry seeks the most effective ways of integrating gender equality and women's empowerment in the key areas of poverty eradication and sustainable development. To that extent, the Ministry has identified six important dimensions of women’s empowerment and opportunities to guide policy formulation and programme design. In line with its mandate and the six dimensions, the Ministry ensures that:
Women become key participants in the economy through meaningful involvement in all key sectors of the economy,

Economic opportunities for women, namely the quantity and quality of women’s economic involvement in leadership and ownership of the means of production, beyond their mere presence as workers.

Educational empowerment of women which is a most fundamental prerequisite for empowering women in all spheres of life,

Political empowerment, particularly with reference to equal representation and meaningful involvement of women in decision-making at all levels in the public and private sectors including in local government; access to and control of land and other resources as well as preserving the environment,

The health and well-being of women through access to sufficient nutrition, healthcare and reproductive health facilities, and to issues of fundamental safety and integrity of persons.

Community development with regard to taking charge of and controlling the basic means of securing water, providing food, fuel and overseeing family health and diet.^[4]