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Farirai Machivenyika-Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWE has made great progress in advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) through various measures although there are areas like gender-based violence and teenage pregnancies that still require attention, the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, has said.
Advocate Mudenda said this during the launch of the SRHR Project 2023-2026 at the new Parliament building in Mt Hampden yesterday.
“Zimbabwe has made commendable strides in advancing 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 revitalise 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.
The 19th Sadc Parliamentary Forum Plenary Assembly Session held in Lilongwe, Malawi in 2007, adopted a resolution on the role of Parliaments in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights that obligates the Forum and its Members to ensure that SRHR and HIV/Aids challenges are appropriately addressed at both the national and regional levels.
“In pursuance of that initiative, the Forum embarked on the implementation of a four-year SRHR, HIV/Aids and Governance Project (2014 to 2018) which sought to capacitate MPs on SRHR and HIV/Aids related issues.
“The over-arching objective of the initiative was to capacitate MPs in promoting and advocating for relevant policy and legislative interventions that protect human rights relative to sexual and reproductive rights. The ultimate expectation is that the SRHR Project will contribute positively to the provision of equitable and universal access to SRHR and HIV/Aids responses in the Sadc region,” Advocate Mudenda said.
He added that the project will draw lessons from the previous phase, including engaging Parliaments on the need to promote the democratic drive as a springboard in advancing the SRHR programme.
“Additionally, in the aftermath of the devastating climate change induced disasters that have afflicted the region in the recent past, there is a realisation of the urgent need to ensure gender mainstreaming in climate change action,” Advocate Mudenda said.
Among other issues, the project will address the advancement of SRHR within the context of promoting the democratic drive, and conversely the influence of sound democratic accountability in ensuring the advancement of SRHR.
Online Reporter