Story by Memory Chamisa
ZIMBABWE is set to participate in this year’s session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, United States next week, with the event coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing World Conference on Women, which culminated in the Beijing Platform for Action back in 1995.
Various stakeholders including the United Nations family, non-governmental organisations and women groups met in Harare this Tuesday to deliberate on Zimbabwe’s position ahead of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) that will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City from the 10th to the 21st of March.
CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
Part of the stakeholders, who have been pivotal in complementing government efforts in promoting women and girls’ human rights, reaffirmed their commitment in shaping global standards on gender equality and the empowerment of women.
“The government has done tremendous work in ensuring women are equal to men, be it in the political system, economic development and social development. However, the gains need to be protected as we now fight the battle for the girl child who needs more protection now than ever from a society that has opened a child marriage gate that needs concerted efforts in shutting it down,” a stakeholder said.
“The 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action is an unmissable chance to remind global leaders and activists that our shared future depends on gender equality and empowering all women and girls,” another said.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises, Development Senator Monica Mutsvangwa gave an appreciation for support being rendered to the government in advancing gender equality.
“While government has the primary responsibility to fulfill the commitments in the platform, we all have roles in unlocking equal rights, power and opportunities. Let history remember 2025 as the year the world refused to give up on women’s rights. Nearly one in ten women live in extreme poverty. Public services and social protection expand economic opportunities and security for women.
“Women also do at least twice as much unpaid care work as men do. Care is the backbone of all societies, and yet is largely undervalued and unpaid. It doesn’t have to be this way, closing care gaps could create 300 million jobs by 2035. Invest in national budgets to strengthen social protection, public services, particularly care services, to give women an equal chance to prosper and fight poverty,” she said.
CSW69 will focus on the review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the 23rd special session of the General Assembly.
The review will include an assessment of current challenges impacting the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the full realisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
