Story by Wellington Makonese
THE 2023 to 2026 SADC Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) project has been launched in Mt Hampden, with the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda calling for stakeholder collaboration in addressing legal gaps within the region.
Launching the project, Advocate Mudenda acknowledged legal progress being made with regard to advancing sexual and reproductive health rights in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe has made commendable strides in advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) through legislation, budget allocations and oversight activities. There are, however, persistent legal and policy gaps that remain in critical areas including gender equality, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), early and unintended pregnancies, safe abortion and Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
“The renewal of the SRHR Project is, therefore, opportune because it will revitalize our efforts in consummating the SRHR initiatives. That is why the SRHR Project is being proudly launched today with the hope that its sustainability will be guaranteed in Zimbabwe and within the SADC region,” he said.
He called for collaborations to scrutinise existing policy gaps within the SADC region.
“Parliamentary Select Committees are called upon to actively engage with communities to gather essential insights into the challenges faced by individuals regarding sexual and reproductive health. These Select Committees can provide a platform for dialogue, fostering understanding and collaboration among stakeholders, including health professionals and civil society.
“Furthermore, the Committees should play a vanguard role in scrutinizing health-related legislation and policies to ensure that these align with international human rights standards regarding the campaign for SRHR programmes. In this regard, researched data should anchor the Select Committees’ advocacy for SRHR programmes. Thus, as we launch this project today, let us do so with a shared commitment to improve the lives of the citizenry,” he said.
SADC Parliamentary Forum Secretary General, Ms Boemo Segkoma gave the scope of the project.
She said, “During the current phase 2023 to 2026, the focus of the Project is also on health financing, with the aim to increase revenue collection for health, whilst moving away from foreign funding and bringing in innovative means to domestic financing and strengthening health systems. The Project recognises that the financing of health systems across SADC is currently struggling and that there is a need for a multi-pronged approach across diverse sectors to elevate public health to the UHC standard.”
The project is also expected to address unexplored themes at the parliamentary level such as the advancement of SRHR within the context of promoting the democratic drive, gender parity in addressing climate change and use of renewable energy sources by ensuring that women and young girls contribute equally to decision-making processes.
