Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
Zimbabwe has committed to strengthening access to quality, survivor-centred care for victims of sexual violence following the launch of the revised national clinical guidelines that seek to standardise the management of sexual violence cases across the country’s health system.
The revised guidelines, launched in Harare on Thursday by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora, are expected to equip healthcare workers with updated tools and procedures to provide comprehensive medical, psychosocial and referral services to survivors.
The launch comes as Zimbabwe continues to grapple with sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), with about 1 in 4 women having experienced sexual violence since the age of 15.
Speaking during the launch, Dr Mombeshora said sexual violence was not only a criminal justice issue but also a health, social and economic challenge requiring a coordinated response.
“Sexual violence remains one of the most painful violations of human dignity. Behind every case is a human story,” he said.
“A child whose sense of safety has been shattered. A woman trying to rebuild her life. A boy or a man suffering in silence because of stigma and fear. A family searching for support and justice.”
Dr Mombeshora said the revised guidelines recognise that survivors come from all walks of life and should receive care that upholds their dignity and rights.
“When survivors arrive at our health facilities, whether in Harare, Binga, Chipinge, Gokwe or Beitbridge, they deserve more than medical treatment,” he said.
“They deserve to be treated with respect. They deserve confidentiality. They deserve compassion. Above all, they deserve hope.”
The minister said the initiative aligns with Vision 2030 and the Second Republic’s commitment to ensuring that no one and no place is left behind, while strengthening access to health services across the country.
“Vision 2030 is not only about economic transformation; it is also about ensuring that every Zimbabwean can live in safety, dignity and good health,” he said.
“The Second Republic, under the leadership of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has consistently emphasised that no one and no place must be left behind.”
Equally important, Dr Mombeshora said, was the role of society where traditional leaders, churches, community leaders, families, civil society organisations, the media and development partners all had a part to play in preventing violence, supporting survivors and challenging the harmful attitudes and practices that enable abuse to occur.
“As Zimbabweans, we must foster communities where survivors are encouraged to seek help, where families provide support rather than stigma, and where violence is never tolerated or excused,” he said
“These Clinical Guidelines therefore represent more than a health sector intervention. They are an important building block within a broader national response that places the survivor at the centre and mobilises the collective efforts of Government, communities and partners.”
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in Zimbabwe, Ms Miranda Tabifor, said the revised guidelines were necessary to respond to changing realities and strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers.
She said UNFPA remained committed to supporting the Government’s efforts through training, provision of essential commodities and support for one-stop centres that offer integrated services to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
“To bridge that gap, our collective response must recognise the different components of this crisis,” she said.
“One of the areas we have focused on is supporting one-stop centres, which have brought relief and support to survivors of sexual violence and gender-based violence.”
Ms Tabifor said UNFPA-supported one-stop centres provided direct services to more than 7 000 survivors in 2025 and reached over 17 000 additional people through community-based interventions and awareness programmes.
She urged stakeholders to ensure that the guidelines translate into tangible improvements in service delivery.
“We must remember that it is not enough to have the guidelines. We must ensure they are used step by step to bring the impact we want to achieve on the ground,” she said.
The revised guidelines are expected to strengthen collaboration between the health sector, law enforcement agencies, social welfare services, the judiciary and community structures to ensure survivors receive timely care, protection and access to justice.
