Story by Fungai Jachi
WOMEN and girls have been challenged to embrace opportunities that the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields present and to leverage their knowledge, skills and creativity to contribute to the realisation of Vision 2030.
Hundreds of women and girls converged in Harare this Wednesday for the 2025 Women in Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, a platform aimed at empowering women in science and technology to leverage their expertise and innovative capabilities to tackle challenges in various economic sectors.
Addressing the delegates, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava challenged women and girls to utilise government’s inclusive policy which is creating space in sectors previously dominated by men.
“The ministry under the esteemed leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is deeply committed to ensuring that Zimbabwe’s development journey is inclusive and that women actively participate and excel in all sectors, particularly in the traditionally male-dominated STEM fields.
“The President’s visionary leadership has laid the foundation for the policies that are making it increasingly possible for women to enter, thrive and lead in the realm of science, technology and innovation. His unwavering commitment to gender equality, education and empowerment has been integral in creating a more conducive environment for women to achieve their fullest potential,” he said.
Elevate Trust Director Ms Sicelo Dube and other stakeholders noted the progress being made in the uptake of STEM by women and girls.
“The agenda now is not just innovation, it is commercialisation which is why today’s programme is anchored on innovation, commercialisation and entrepreneurship so that we just don’t do lip service but doing it and taking our sciences to the community,” Ms Dube noted.
With Zimbabwe’s commitment to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), the Women in Science Technology and Innovation Conference aims to create actionable strategies that will empower women in STEM to drive innovation and economic growth.
