Outcome ZWE_D_1.2

UN system in Zimbabwe is coherently contributes to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls

The UNCT in Zimbabwe has exceeded the common global financial target for UNCT allocations to GEWE with a staggering 70% total allocation to gender. Following training sessions, an analysis of the UNCT financial contribution to gender against the global target was done which showed that in 2023, 89% of sub-outputs of the JWP were coded as GEM 2 and GEM 3. The CO communicated and made visible the gender equality results emanating from the UN Wide System. The UNCT compiled a UNCT SWAP Gender Scorecard annual report which showed progress in the area of financing, in the reporting year the CO led an interagency capacity strengthening session on standardizing the application of the Gender Equality Marker.

UN system in Zimbabwe is coherently contributes to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls

A significant result achieved by the Reporting Unit in 2025 through leveraging the UN system coordination mandate was the successful coordination of the UNCT SWAP Gender Scorecard assessment, conducted in collaboration with the Gender Thematic Working Group (GTWG). For the first time since 2021, all 15 indicators were comprehensively reviewed, providing a robust measure of the UN Country Team’s effectiveness in mainstreaming gender and promoting women’s empowerment. The assessment revealed that 4 indicators exceeded minimum requirements, 9 indicators met minimum requirements, 1 indicator was approaching minimum requirements, and 1 indicator did not meet minimum requirements. This exercise not only strengthened accountability but also provided a clear roadmap for performance improvement ahead of the 2026 cooperation framework cycle. The process also enabled systematic tracking of gender results throughout the 2022–2026 UNSDCF cycle. Findings confirmed that UNCT Zimbabwe has achieved or is on track to achieve most gender equality and women’s empowerment results as planned, in alignment with SDG priorities, particularly SDG 5. These results were consolidated into a Gender Results Report for Zimbabwe, documenting four years of progress and providing evidence for future programming. Through this coordination mandate, UNCT Zimbabwe has contributed to significant gender-transformative laws, policies, strategies, and plans since 2022, including the Marriages Act, Guardianship of Minors Amendment Act, Children’s Amendment Act, Labour Amendment Act, Electoral Amendment Act, the National Gender Policy (2025), the National GBV Strategy (2023–2030), and the Women in Leadership and Decision-Making Strategy (2023–2030), among others. These reforms have been complemented by institutional strengthening and capacity-building interventions for public authorities, equipping them with technical, managerial, and leadership skills to mainstream gender equality in public policies. This effort improved institutional capacity to mainstream gender across laws and policies, enhanced coherence in UNCT programming, and stronger alignment with global normative frameworks. Collectively, these achievements demonstrate how UN Women, through its coordination mandate, has catalyzed systemic change and advanced gender equality at scale in Zimbabwe.

UN system in Zimbabwe is coherently contributes to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls

Through its leadership and coordination mandate, UN Women demonstrated its commitment to advancing gender equality and women’s rights in Zimbabwe. During the reporting period, UN Women was one of five UN agencies selected by the UN Country Team (UNCT) to collaborate with the Government’s designated team in drafting and reviewing Zimbabwe’s SDG VNR III. UN Women led efforts on SDG 5 (Gender Equality). Unlike previous consultant-driven reviews, VNR III employed a multi-stakeholder, collaborative approach that included government and diverse national stakeholders. This inclusive process facilitated broader consultations and collective team-based development, significantly enhancing the quality and impact of the report. As the UN agency responsible for coordinating gender equality efforts, UN Women continued to support the Ministry of Women Affairs and CSOs in implementing and monitoring normative frameworks. Key achievements included the successful submission of two critical human rights reports: the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa and the Beijing +30 Report, submitted to international and regional supervisory bodies, including the African Union. UN Women also collaborated with the Ministry of Women Affairs and CSOs to launch the Beijing +30 commemorations. Hosted by the Minister of Women Affairs, the event was attended by representatives from line ministries, CSOs, faith-based organizations, UN agencies, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe. The launch aimed to accelerate action toward achieving the goals of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, alongside the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 5 on gender equality and related SDGs. During the event, the Ministry of Women Affairs shared its 2024 achievements, providing development partners with an update on progress since the first development partner engagement meeting in April 2024.

UN system in Zimbabwe is coherently contributes to progress on gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls

Through UN Women’s mandate to coordinate Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) within the UN system, the Gender Technical Working Group (GTWG) advanced and promoted Gender Equality through the development and operationalisation of the Gender Mainstreaming Strategy 2022-2026. This was achieved through: strengthening partnerships between UNCT, Government and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on GEWE; effective participation of National Gender Machinery and CSOs in the design, implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF); enhanced capacities and understanding of more than 100 UN Procurement staff, UN vendors and suppliers on Gender Responsive and Disability Inclusion (Virtual Capacity Building done in October 2022) and; strengthened the communication and advocacy on GEWE within the UN system. UNCT collaboration with Government and CSOs on GEWE was not well coordinated and there was weak participation of the National Gender Machinery, CSOs in the design, implementation, and Monitoring of the UNSDCF. In this regard, the GTWG conducted gender and procurement responsive trainings, conducted national consultations on revitalisation of the National Gender Machinery and created strong partnership with the UNCT Communications Group to ensure the incorporation of GEWE priorities into its work including commemorative days such as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, and International Women’s Day.