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    Summary of country programme

    UN Women’s Zimbabwe Strategic Note (2022–2026) outlines priorities to address gender disparities and promote gender equality and women's empowerment. It operates in a context where structural barriers, entrenched social norms and limited access to resources reproduce gender inequality across generations.

    Active in various provinces, including Harare, Bulawayo and rural areas, the programme prioritizes ending violence against women, promoting women’s leadership and participation in governance, enhancing women’s economic empowerment and resilience, and strengthening women’s roles in peace, security, humanitarian responses and disaster risk reduction. Cross-cutting strategies involve institutional strengthening and gender statistics. The programme emphasizes the integration of gender perspectives in national policies and development strategies.

    Major partners include the Government of Zimbabwe, the private sector, civil society organizations and UN organizations. Partnerships enhance reach and effectiveness. Joint programming supports several activities, including under the Spotlight Initiative to eliminate gender-based violence and empower women and girls.

    Other resources (non-core)
    Country Indexes

    UN Women in action: Strategic insights and achievements

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    Advancing SDGs: UN Women's impact and key achievements
    Women community advocates are using their collective voice to demand quality social services in Mashonaland Central and West Provinces. Emboldened by the advocacy skills received through community awareness sessions and trainings on gender equality and women’s rights conducted by UN Women’s community-based civil society partners, women at the ward and district levels no longer sit passively waiting for change: “We go into our communities attending village meetings, borehole meetings and budget consultations at council sessions where budgets are made to ensure that the services being planned address women’s needs,” said one of the beneficiaries during the Mid-Term Review of the Country Office Strategic Note held in 2024 .
    Empowering women to actively participate in leadership and public life at both community and national levels has been a strategic focus of CO’s work in the thematic area of Governance and Participation in Public Life. The CO sought to increase women’s representation in governance through policy and advocacy initiatives, in partnership with women in positions of power and influence, and with women vying for political leadership positions. In 2023 elections, 22 women were directly elected for the 210 lower house seats out of the 70 (11%) women who contested against 637 male candidates.[1] While this was down from the 14% of women as candidates in 2018, the CO continues to broadened its strategy to focus on building women’s leadership skills at all levels in public and in private sector, at local and at national level.
    Targeted interventions equipped women with the skills to assert their rights and to demand accountability from leadership structures. …” There was no tap water, but at the present moment, water is readily available in our ward,” said one participant during a discussion with UN Women beneficiaries in Mashonaland West Province. “We united as women, wrote a petition and submitted it to the Council and that’s when they started to take action, and today, we have water.”
    These small footprints at community level contribute to SDG 5, GEWE. The women interviewed during the midterm review of the country office strategic note had their own stories of change to tell, illustrating how the CO’s work with community -based groups to strengthen women’s capacities for collective advocacy can make a difference: “ There was an old beer hall that was no longer in use, and while men advocated for it to be revived, we as women recognized that children in the area were struggling with overcrowding at schools. We negotiated with the council for the beer hall to be transformed into a kindergarten school. It was not easy, but as women, once we began advocating, we never stepped back. Our persistence led to its successful conversion into a school…. This achievement demonstrates how our collective voice can bring meaningful change to our communities.”
    Advancing SDGs: UN Women's impact and key achievements
    The establishment of Zimbabwe’s first Safe-Market for women vendors. Located in an urban impoverished settlement, the Epworth Safe Market created a violence-free space for women to conduct their economic activities and incorporated a child-care space for women vendors. This innovation has been replicated by UN Women in the country's Matabeleland South Province in 2023, and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development – secured its own funding from AfDB to replicate the violence-free and disability-friendly Safe Markets for Women model in two other major cities. The safe market initiative was also replicated by UN agencies and UN Women provided technical support. To date, 5 markets were rehabilitated in Harare, Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces. This result contributes to the UNSDCF Outcome 3 (Prosperity) and to the SDG 5 target, 5.2. Notably the significance of this innovation in contributing to women’s economic empowerment and the elimination of violence against women gained further recognition when the Epworth Safe Market was showcased by the European Union in its 2022 EU-Africa Campaign and the Chairwoman of the market Committee was featured.
    The livelihood and economic resilience of 180 people, 90% women, was enhanced through access to market stalls, market and skills building initiatives. The model is illustrative also of the GBV-Humanitarian-Development Nexus programming approach used in the Spotlight Initiative to deliver interventions in a multi-hazard context exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The vendors in rehabilitated markets are benefitting through increased sales since the locals now feel more confident buying at the markets with hygiene practices in 2023 where the country is hit with cholera outbreak. An interview with one of the women from the market indicated an increase in the number of sales from less than $10 before cholera to $20 to $25 per day.
    The Safe Markets promote women’s right to leadership by placing their voices at the center of the decision-making in the design of the markets, and in the governance and operational structures. A women-led committee engages with the local authority on maintenance, safety & hygiene, and fee-structures for those operating stalls in the markets.
    The CO created a strong partnership with the micro finance institutions- Women’s Micro Finance Bank and Women’s Bank which provided financial services to the 60 women vendors. Partnerships were also created with Harare, Epworth, Chipinge and Umzingwane local authorities to implement the safe markets initiative. The partnership with local authorities was critical as it fostered sustainability and contributed to greater collaboration between the women vendors and the authorities, as access to markets is highly politicized and contested. The markets’ infrastructure was integrated within existing local infrastructure to ensure sustainability of the markets and local ownership of the project.

    Results and resources

    Outcomes (aligned with interagency frameworks)
    Organizational effectiveness and efficiency
    ZWE_O_1

    UN-Women is an accountable and trustworthy development organization that manages its financial and other resources with integrity and in line with its programmatic ambitions and fiduciary obligations

    ZWE_O_2

    UN-Women effectively leverages and expands its partnerships, communications, and advocacy capabilities to increase support for and financing of the gender equality agenda, while securing sustainable resourcing for the delivery of its own mandate.

    ZWE_O_3

    UN-Women strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership rooted in a continuous improvement culture

    ZWE_O_4

    With its unique and inclusive culture, UN-Women is an employer of choice with a diverse and highly performing cadre of personnel that embodies UN values.

    ZWE_O_5

    UN-Women efficiently and effectively discharges of all business processes that advance integrated delivery of its mandate at HQ, Regional and Country levels, including through shared services.

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    Expenses
    Outcome Result statement IATI identifier
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    Budget
    Expenses
    Outcome Result statement IATI identifier
    OutcomeZWE_O_1
    Outcome result statementUN-Women is an accountable and trustworthy development organization that manages its financial and other resources with integrity and in line with its programmatic ambitions and fiduciary obligations
    IATI identifierXM-DAC-41146-ZWE_O_1
    OutcomeZWE_O_2
    Outcome result statementUN-Women effectively leverages and expands its partnerships, communications, and advocacy capabilities to increase support for and financing of the gender equality agenda, while securing sustainable resourcing for the delivery of its own mandate.
    IATI identifierXM-DAC-41146-ZWE_O_2
    OutcomeZWE_O_3
    Outcome result statementUN-Women strategically plans for and transforms its business model to deliver impact at scale, through agile and ethical leadership rooted in a continuous improvement culture
    IATI identifierXM-DAC-41146-ZWE_O_3
    OutcomeZWE_O_4
    Outcome result statementWith its unique and inclusive culture, UN-Women is an employer of choice with a diverse and highly performing cadre of personnel that embodies UN values.
    IATI identifierXM-DAC-41146-ZWE_O_4
    OutcomeZWE_O_5
    Outcome result statementUN-Women efficiently and effectively discharges of all business processes that advance integrated delivery of its mandate at HQ, Regional and Country levels, including through shared services.
    IATI identifierXM-DAC-41146-ZWE_O_5
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    Resources allocated towards SDGs

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    Our funding partners contributions

    Regular resources (core)

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    $115.04 K in total
    Other resources (non-core)
    $4.54 M in total
    Regular resources (core)

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    $115.04 K in total
    2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
    United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) --
    2022
    No data available
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    $115,042
    2018
    United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
    Total contribution:$115,042
    Development:$115,042(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    2018
    United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)$115,042
    Total contribution$115,042
    Development$115,042(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Other resources (non-core)

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    $4.54 M in total
    2022 2021 2020 2019 2018
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) $146,888
    2022
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)United Nations organization
    Total contribution:$146,888
    Development:$146,888(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    $131,533
    2018
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)United Nations organization
    Total contribution:$131,533
    Development:$131,533(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    Norway --
    2022
    No data available
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    $483,243
    2018
    NorwayOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$483,243
    Development:$483,243(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    Sweden --
    2022
    No data available
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    $12,697
    2018
    SwedenOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$12,697
    Development:$12,697(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) --
    2022
    No data available
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    $47,883
    2018
    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)United Nations organization
    Total contribution:$47,883
    Development:$47,883(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    European Commission (Spotlight) $1,295,312
    2022
    European Commission (Spotlight)OECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$1,295,312
    Development:$1,295,312(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $259,670
    2021
    European Commission (Spotlight)OECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$259,670
    Development:$259,670(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $143,158
    2020
    European Commission (Spotlight)OECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$143,158
    Development:$143,158(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $456,187
    2019
    European Commission (Spotlight)OECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$456,187
    Development:$456,187(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2018
    No data available
    Peacebuilding Fund --
    2022
    No data available
    $69,990
    2021
    Peacebuilding FundUnited Nations pooled fund
    Total contribution:$69,990
    Development:$69,990(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $316,843
    2020
    Peacebuilding FundUnited Nations pooled fund
    Total contribution:$316,843
    Development:$316,843(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $172,219
    2019
    Peacebuilding FundUnited Nations pooled fund
    Total contribution:$172,219
    Development:$172,219(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2018
    No data available
    Ireland $52,939
    2022
    IrelandOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$52,939
    Development:$52,939(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $187,917
    2021
    IrelandOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$187,917
    Development:$187,917(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    $29,800
    2020
    IrelandOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$29,800
    Development:$29,800(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2019
    No data available
    --
    2018
    No data available
    Japan $599,156
    2022
    JapanOECD-DAC donor
    Total contribution:$599,156
    Development:$599,156(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    --
    2018
    No data available
    United Nations COVID-19 Multi-Partner Trust Office Reponse $126,738
    2022
    United Nations COVID-19 Multi-Partner Trust Office ReponseUnited Nations pooled fund
    Total contribution:$126,738
    Development:$126,738(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    --
    2018
    No data available
    United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office $8,223
    2022
    United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund OfficeUnited Nations pooled fund
    Total contribution:$8,223
    Development:$8,223(100%)
    Humanitarian:$0(0%)
    --
    2021
    No data available
    --
    2020
    No data available
    --
    2019
    No data available
    --
    2018
    No data available
    2022
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)$146,888
    Total contribution$146,888
    Development$146,888(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    European Commission (Spotlight)$1,295,312
    Total contribution$1,295,312
    Development$1,295,312(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Ireland$52,939
    Total contribution$52,939
    Development$52,939(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Japan$599,156
    Total contribution$599,156
    Development$599,156(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    United Nations COVID-19 Multi-Partner Trust Office Reponse$126,738
    Total contribution$126,738
    Development$126,738(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office$8,223
    Total contribution$8,223
    Development$8,223(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    2021
    European Commission (Spotlight)$259,670
    Total contribution$259,670
    Development$259,670(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Peacebuilding Fund$69,990
    Total contribution$69,990
    Development$69,990(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Ireland$187,917
    Total contribution$187,917
    Development$187,917(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    2020
    European Commission (Spotlight)$143,158
    Total contribution$143,158
    Development$143,158(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Peacebuilding Fund$316,843
    Total contribution$316,843
    Development$316,843(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Ireland$29,800
    Total contribution$29,800
    Development$29,800(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    2019
    European Commission (Spotlight)$456,187
    Total contribution$456,187
    Development$456,187(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Peacebuilding Fund$172,219
    Total contribution$172,219
    Development$172,219(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    2018
    Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)$131,533
    Total contribution$131,533
    Development$131,533(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Norway$483,243
    Total contribution$483,243
    Development$483,243(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    Sweden$12,697
    Total contribution$12,697
    Development$12,697(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
    United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)$47,883
    Total contribution$47,883
    Development$47,883(100%)
    Humanitarian$0(0%)
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    Strategic plan contributions

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