Online Reporter
We publish here the 17th post-Cabinet media briefing presented by Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Zhemu Soda, in Harare yesterday.
Cabinet noted and approved the National Youth Policy as presented by Vice President, Honourable Dr Kembo Mohadi, Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Development.
The National Youth Policy: 2026–2030 is a comprehensive empowerment framework designed to address challenges faced by the youth demographic group aged between 15 and 35. The targeted age group comprises young women, youths with disabilities; pupils and students; unemployed youths; youth not in Employment, Education or Training (NEETs); youths living with HIV and AIDS; youths abusing substances; orphaned and vulnerable children, including children living in the streets; youths in conflict with the law; and youths in the diaspora.
In particular, critical focus will be placed on the urgent issue of youth Not in Education, Employment or Training, who constitute approximately 42,5 percent of the targeted youth population.
The National Youth Policy: 2026–2030 supersedes the 2020–2025 version and is now aligned to the National Development Strategy 2 (2026–2030). While the impact of the previous policy was significant in championing initiatives such as the Youth Service in Zimbabwe Programme; launch of the Youth Fund; and establishment of the Empower Bank, among others, the new Policy now encompasses critical strategic interventions aimed at unlocking, inter alia, the following opportunities: decent job creation; entrepreneurship; technical and vocational education; recreational facilities; youth well-being and access to healthcare services; gender equality; and youth participation in decision-making processes and governance.
In a strategic departure from the previous policy version, the National Youth Policy: 2026–2030 boldly prioritises interventions to address the following emerging issues: drug and substance abuse and mental health care; technological innovations, artificial intelligence and automation; and climate change.
The Policy opens up new entrepreneurship frontiers for youth-led enterprises through the provision of concrete mechanisms for financing, incubation, business development services, and market linkages.
The National Youth Policy is anchored on five pillars, namely: Economic Empowerment; Technology and Digital Transformation; Education and Skills Development; Health and Well-Being; and Governance. There are also supporting cross-cutting pillars comprising Climate Change and Adaptation; Gender Equality and Inclusivity; and Coordination and Partnerships.
The Economic Empowerment Pillar aims to elevate youth participation in the economy, thereby improving livelihoods and reducing poverty levels. Under a whole-of-Government and society initiative, Ministries, Departments and Agencies; development partners; and the private sector will actively design tailor-made youth empowerment programmes and projects. Government has already taken the lead through institutionalisation of Youth Focal Desks to champion youth programmes across all Ministries. A separate pillar on job creation seeks to catalyse job creation for youths’ absorption across the mainstream economy.
The Technology and Digital Transformation Pillar seeks to harness digital solutions to enhance youth engagement, access to information and economic participation in the digital economy. Youths will be facilitated to fully utilise the existing Digital and Community Information Centres and the free Wi-Fi hotspots established, in order to enhance their digital skills.
The Education and Skills Development Pillar will endeavour to enhance access to quality education opportunities for youths.
It will ensure that youths acquire a diverse range of skills, including academic, vocational, technical and digital competencies. The Pillar advocates for competence-based education and training to equip youths with skills for the future.
Pertaining to the Health and Well-Being Pillar, the objective is to improve the health and well-being of young people, including addressing alcohol, drug and substance abuse. The Pillar will be executed through facilitating access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health rights information and services; and innovative healthcare support programmes.
Under the Governance Pillar, Ministries, Departments and Agencies will be obligated to fully integrate youth programmes for enhanced participation in the country’s national development and decision-making processes. A regulatory and legal framework will support the initiative. A Youth Bill will be promulgated to give effect to all the plans.
The National Youth Policy will be premised upon a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) framework, communication plan and financial architecture to support the implementation of the results-oriented plan.
2.0 NATIONAL CAREER GUIDANCE POLICY
Cabinet noted and approved the National Career Guidance Policy as presented by Vice President Mohadi, Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Development.
The approved National Career Guidance Policy addresses longstanding challenges such as fragmented service delivery, capacity and resource shortages, and the persistent disconnect between education and the labour market.
The Policy will empower individuals, particularly youths and marginalised groups, with personalised support, timely and accurate labour market intelligence, and tools to make informed, future-ready career decisions that will underpin sustainable national economic growth.
The Policy will align education and training through the harmonisation of curricula and training programmes with current and future labour market needs across all educational levels in Zimbabwe, from early childhood through to tertiary education; facilitate informed choices by empowering individuals with accurate, up-to-date career information to support aspirational and market-relevant decisions; and promote inclusivity and equity by ensuring that career guidance is accessible to all vulnerable groups.
The Policy will also strengthen the development and integration of robust labour market information systems, accessible digitally in real time; professionalise career guidance services by establishing national standards, accreditation and continuous training for career guidance practitioners; and enhance multi-stakeholder collaboration through fostering partnerships among Government, education, industry, civil society and development partners.
The National Career Guidance Policy will be anchored on five pillars, namely: Policy and Coordination; Service Delivery and Accessibility; Continuous Professional Development and Capacity Building; Information and Labour Market Intelligence; and Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance.
A sustainable, robust and balanced financing model will be adopted to enable effective rollout, scalability and long-term impact of the Policy.
3.0 PROPOSED ONLINE CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
Cabinet noted and approved the Online Child Protection Policy as presented by Honourable Vice President Dr Mohadi as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Social Development.
The Zimbabwe National Child Online Protection Policy: 2026–2030 provides a national framework to safeguard children in the digital environment while ensuring that they benefit from opportunities offered by Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). While the internet presents enormous opportunities for children, it has inadvertently increased children’s exposure to online sexual exploitation and abuse, cyberbullying, harmful content, grooming, sextortion and privacy violations.
Against this backdrop, the policy will achieve, inter alia, the following: provide a single national framework for Government, the private sector, academia and communities at large in keeping children safe online; ensure that all decisions and matters relating to children’s experience in the digital space are aligned with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and the Children’s Act [Chapter 5:06]; and promote accountability in all sectors of society, including clear conditions and practical steps to mitigate online risks that children may face.
The Online Child Protection Policy is anchored on nine strategic focus areas, namely: Institutional Capacity; Legal and Regulatory Framework; Prevention, Response and Support Mechanisms; Technical Control and Corporate Responsibility; Education; Public Awareness and Communication; Research and Development; Global Co-operation and Leadership; and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning. Each of these pillars is underpinned by clear policy actions to achieve the intended objectives.
Going forward, Government will promulgate relevant legislation with enforceable sanctions in order to safeguard children. Meanwhile, Government exhorts communities, parents and guardians to play a central role in monitoring the activities of children while they are online.
4.0 PRINCIPLES OF THE WATER ACT AMENDMENT BILL
Cabinet considered and noted the principles for the amendment of the Water Act as presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Honourable Masuka.
The principles have been necessitated by the need to realign the Water Act with the Constitution and to update the Act so that it becomes relevant to the current development agenda, as water is essential for developing all sectors of the economy. The judicious management and equitable allocation of water, while preserving every water source for the benefit of future generations, has become imperative.
The amendments are designed to transform the Water Act from primarily a resource management law into a more comprehensive legal framework that integrates constitutional imperatives, economic considerations, environmental sustainability, institutional accountability and stronger regulatory oversight.
5.0 PRINCIPLES OF THE ZIMBABWE NATIONAL WATER AUTHORITY AMENDMENT BILL
Cabinet noted and approved the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Amendment Bill as presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Honourable Masuka.
The principles for the amendment of the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act [Chapter 20:25] seek to engender sound corporate governance principles in line with policy, legal and constitutional developments. The principles will specifically entail the streamlining of ZINWA’s dual and conflicting roles of regulator and service provider. The regulatory function will be removed and transferred to the Ministry, with ZINWA evolving into a pure service-providing agent of Government, in line with the Public Entities and Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31].
I THANK YOU!
