As Zimbabwe commemorates Heroes Day, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) honours the gallant
sons and daughters especially the unsung heroines whose sacrifice liberated our nation. From Mbuya
Nehanda to Queen Lozikeyi, and comrades like Freedom Nyamubaya and Thenjiwe Lesabe, these women
fought not only against colonialism but also against systems that denied women land, leadership, and
dignity.
Their vision is enshrined in our 2013 Constitution, which establishes gender equality as a founding value
(Section 3), mandates full gender balance (Section 17), prohibits discrimination (Section 56), voids
infringing customs (Section 80), and creates the ZGC (Section 246). These provisions are reinforced by
CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, the SADC Gender Protocol, and SDG 5.
We celebrate milestones women now serve as engineers, judges, legislators, and soldiers, with Cde Oppah
Muchinguri-Kashiri as the first female Defence Minister, and the 2024 National Action Plan on Women,
Peace and Security. Yet gaps persist. The Commission cites low awareness of sexual harassment policies,
the need for a Gender Equality Act, weak compliance monitoring, political parties falling short of 50/50
representation, and women disproportionately burdened by informal work and unpaid care.
The ZGC calls upon:
- Parliament to enact a Gender Equality Act and amend the Political Parties Financing Act to ensure
equal resource distribution to women candidates. - Political parties to align constitutions with 50/50 representation and adopt proportional
representation to boost women’s participation. - Employers and institutions to enforce workplace sexual harassment policies, ratify ILO Convention
190, and invest in women’s leadership. - Civil society, religious leaders, and communities to challenge harmful cultural practices, empower
girls equally, and amplify women’s voices. - All Zimbabweans to defend women’s right to control their destiny the struggle for equality continues
in parliaments, boardrooms, classrooms, and courts.
Our heroes and heroines fought for a Zimbabwe of dignity, equality, and freedom for every citizen man and
woman alike. Let us protect that legacy.
For Gender Equality
For media inquiries and further information, please contact For more information, contact Chief Executive
Officer Virginia Muwanigwa 0712899543/ 0772327955