Bongani Ndlovu
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
YOUNG Zimbabweans are set to push for increased participation in disaster risk reduction (DRR) policy and decision-making when they gather in Harare today for the 3rd Zimbabwe Youth Symposium on Disaster Risk Reduction.
The symposium, running under the theme “From Risk to Resilience: Reclaiming Youth Agency in Disaster Risk Management,” is expected to bring together youth representatives, Government officials, civil society organisations and development partners to discuss ways of strengthening youth involvement in building resilient communities.
The meeting comes as young people continue calling for greater recognition of their role in addressing climate-related challenges, disaster preparedness and community resilience.
Organised by Global Platform Zimbabwe and ActionAid Zimbabwe in partnership with youth networks and other stakeholders, the symposium will seek to strengthen youth participation in national disaster risk governance processes.
ActionAid Zimbabwe programmes officer Dr Abel Sibanda said the symposium was aimed at ensuring young people are actively involved in shaping Zimbabwe’s disaster risk reduction agenda.
“After weeks of coordination across our youth networks, Government partners and civil society allies, we gather to place young people at the centre of Zimbabwe’s DRR conversation,” Sibanda said.
He said the youth voice on disaster risk reduction was strongest when young people were actively engaged in national conversations and policy processes.
Official remarks at the symposium will be delivered by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, with discussions expected to highlight Government’s commitment to youth-inclusive disaster risk governance, the status of the Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Bill and the role of the National Youth Desk as a national DRR structure.
The symposium is expected to contribute towards the development of the 2026 Zimbabwe Youth Position Statement on DRR, which will capture youth priorities and recommendations for engagement with relevant ministries, parliamentary processes and other stakeholders.
The programme will also feature discussions on gender, women’s leadership and community resilience, natural resource governance, climate change and environmental management, as participants explore ways of strengthening adaptation and disaster preparedness.
A high-level policy dialogue will bring together representatives from Government departments and stakeholders, including disaster management, environmental and mining sectors, to deliberate on governance, climate risks, community resilience, gender-responsive approaches and youth inclusion in disaster risk frameworks.
The symposium will also feature youth-led research panels focusing on innovation and technology in disaster risk reduction, including community-based early warning systems, digital forecasting, climate justice, accountability and resilience initiatives being implemented at community level.
Among the issues expected to emerge from the discussions are strengthening youth participation in policy processes, improving disaster risk data and supporting youth-led solutions in communities affected by climate-related challenges.
The organisers said the meeting would help strengthen mechanisms for youth participation, including the role of the National Youth Desk in advancing youth-led disaster risk reduction initiatives.
