Outcome ZWE_D_2.1

By 2026, all people in Zimbabwe, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, benefit from more inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities

During the reporting year, significant efforts were made by key stakeholders and the government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to foster income security, decent work, and economic autonomy for women. This includes creation of an enabling environment through reviewing and updating the Broad-Based Women Economic Empowerment Framework (BBWEEF) and the National Gender Policy as well as notable efforts towards gender responsive budgeting. Key barriers to women's economic empowerment, nonetheless, remain in the form of risks related to the political economy, monetary policy fragility, extreme weather events, as well as negative social norms which hinder progress of women on the economic front and keep their livelihoods at a micro level. As a result, women continue to bear the brunt of economic decline and poverty in Zimbabwe. During the reporting year, significant efforts were made by key stakeholders and the government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development to foster income security, decent work, and economic autonomy for women.

By 2026, all people in Zimbabwe, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, benefit from more inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities

In 2024, the Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing the participation of women and girls in economic activities by reviewing the Broad-Based Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework (BBWEEF). This policy framework remains critical for strategically guiding the implementation of WEE programs nationwide. Effective and efficient implementation of such frameworks is essential to expanding economic opportunities for women. However, significant gaps remain, including the need for gender-responsive monetary and fiscal policies to address persistent disparities. Additionally, greater efforts are required to capitalize the Women’s Microfinance Bank and implement Gender-Responsive Procurement within the public sector to accelerate financial inclusion for women-owned enterprises and expand market access for women entrepreneurs. UN Women played a pivotal role in supporting the government’s capacity to develop and implement key WEE policies and programs. With UN Women’s technical and financial assistance, the Ministry successfully revised and validated the BBWEEF to align with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy I (NDS1) and Vision 2030, which aspires to transform the country into an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030. This milestone was informed by empirical evidence from a joint study by UN Women and the Zimbabwe Economic Society, which examined the impact of macroeconomic conditions and austerity measures on women-owned enterprises. This evidence-based approach ensured that the revised BBWEEF (2025–2030) addressed the evolving economic needs of women and identified priority areas for action. UN Women’s 2024 initiatives empowered a total of 966 individuals—comprising 788 women, 178 men, 588 youth, 8 persons with disabilities, and 4 teenage mothers—to access diverse economic opportunities. The impact of these initiatives includes: • 70% receiving training and mentorship in business and technical fields. • 8.4% accessing specialized equipment and decent facilities. • 8.7% being linked to markets and financial service providers. • 18.4% gaining knowledge and access to WEE tools, particularly the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) framework. These results highlight UN Women’s commitment to promoting inclusive economic development and equipping women with the skills, resources, and networks needed to thrive in Zimbabwe’s economy. The outcomes also underscore the importance of strategic partnerships and evidence-based policymaking in driving sustainable progress toward gender equality and women’s empowerment.

By 2026, all people in Zimbabwe, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, benefit from more inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities

In 2025, Zimbabwe reinforced its commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment through the adoption and implementation of key policy frameworks, including the National Gender Policy, a gender-responsive NDS2, the Financial Inclusion Strategy II, and the revised Women’s Economic Empowerment Framework. These frameworks were complemented by increased allocations in the 2026 national budget to support women’s entrepreneurship and skills development, signalling stronger national prioritization of gender equality in economic growth. Despite these advances, persistent gaps remain in the operationalization of gender-responsive fiscal policies, capitalization of the Women’s Microfinance Bank, and implementation of gender-responsive procurement. Limited institutional capacity continues to pose challenges, underscoring the need to accelerate reforms to meet Vision 2030 targets and ensure that by 2026 all people in Zimbabwe, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized, benefit from inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities. Throughout 2025, UN Women played a pivotal role in strengthening government capacity for gender-responsive policy design, financial inclusion, and institutional accountability. The Country Office provided technical expertise to integrate gender equality principles into national economic frameworks, supported evidence-based advocacy for increased budget allocations to women’s economic empowerment, and facilitated multi-stakeholder dialogues to advance inclusive fiscal and financial reforms. These contributions enhanced the ability of government institutions to design and implement policies that respond to women’s needs, expand opportunities for women entrepreneurs, and promote equitable access to resources.

By 2026, all people in Zimbabwe, especially the most vulnerable and marginalised, benefit from more inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities

To ensure people of Zimbabwe especially women and girls benefit from more inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent employment opportunities, the Government of Zimbabwe is embracing strategies to transition from the informal to formal economy. Government is in the process of finalizing the National Formalization Strategy and Implementation Plan which will provide policy guidance to the process of transitioning from informal to formal employment. UN Women contributed to development of the Strategy through providing technical support and the process was led by ILO under Safe Markets project. Further, work on the safe markets project resulted in increased income and economic autonomy for the women who benefitted from the completed safe markets in Epworth and Mbare mass market. Women vendors/ marketers were empowered with digital skills in managing their business enterprises as a result of the trainings delivered by partners with the support of UN Women.