Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Mutare Bureau
WOMEN in Manicaland have been challenged to take full advantage of Government programmes and unite to drive economic empowerment and end gender-based violence.
On Saturday, Chipinge hosted belated provincial commemorations of International Women’s Day 2026, where Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa was the guest of honour.
The event, held under the theme “Rights, Justice, Action, For all women and girls” drew hundreds of women from across the province.
Speaking to a packed gathering, Sen Mutsvangwa told women to make full use of resources available through her ministry under President Mnangagwa’s administration.
She said the Government was creating an enabling environment for women to start and grow businesses, citing ongoing infrastructure development and service delivery in rural areas.
“Use the resources that the President has made available to you via this ministry. Women are creating employment. The President is making roads and bringing you water closer to home. Work, work, work so that we meet Vision 2030,” she said.
The minister urged women to approach her ministry officials for support and funding to expand their enterprises, stressing that economic empowerment was central to achieving gender equality.
She said organised, united women could achieve more than those working in isolation.
“Be united, you can do and achieve more from unity as women. Get in touch with Women Affairs officials and get support and funding for your businesses,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the day was very important to women because it provided a platform to confront the challenges women and girls in Zimbabwe are still facing.
“We have been called here so that we can have a conversation around the challenges that are faced with women and girls in Zimbabwe, particularly those challenges around gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights and the participation of women and girls in decision-making spaces,” she said.
She called on women and communities to break the culture of silence and report all cases of abuse.
“Go and report if you are being assaulted, do not keep quiet. We say no to GBV. Listen to President Mnangagwa, we are an organised nation. Let us be organised and say no to drug abuse, child marriages and GBV,” she said.
She challenged Manicaland to set an example for the rest of the country by eradicating child marriages.
“As an organised Manicaland, let us show the nation that we said no to children being married below 18 years. We no longer want any reports of child marriages, we want justice for women and girls,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
The minister directed women and girls to use the Victim Friendly Unit to report cases of rape and child marriage, assuring them of Government protection for whistleblowers.
She also noted that boys and men were increasingly becoming victims of gender-based violence, and their cases should not be ignored.
“Take advantage of the victim-friendly unit and report these matters of rape and child marriages. Do not protect these rapists; expose these cases. The Government will protect you. Boys and men are also being subjected to gender-based violence,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa reiterated that the Constitution firmly upholds the rights of women and girls, and that the Government was committed to turning those rights into lived realities.
She praised President Mnangagwa for consistently prioritising women’s empowerment and for mainstreaming gender equality across Government programmes.
Sen Mutsvangwa said the Second Republic had demonstrated political will by ensuring women had a seat at the table in economic and political decision-making.
“The President’s support for women is clear. He has ensured that women’s issues are not sidelined but are part of the national development agenda. We are seeing roads being built, water projects reaching communities and women getting opportunities to trade and produce. This is leadership that walks the talk,” she said.
Sen Mutsvangwa urged women to remain focused on production and unity, saying that was the only way Zimbabwe would achieve the goals of Vision 2030.
“Let us work together, let us be organised and let us protect our girls. The future of this country depends on empowered women,” she said.
