Govt Urged to Turn GBV Promises Into Action as 2030 Deadline Nears

By Tinomudaishe Muzanenhamo

A leading women’s rights group has called for renewed national commitment to ending gender-based violence (GBV) warning that funding gaps and slow implementation threaten efforts to eliminate the problem by 2030.

The Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) made the appeal during a high-level engagement reviewing progress under the High-Level Political Compact (HLPC) on GBV.

The organisation said Zimbabwe must move urgently from policy commitments to practical action that protects women and girls across the country.

Its call follows an assessment of the country’s progress under the compact, covering the period from 2019 to March 2026.

WCOZ said GBV remained a serious human rights violation and a major barrier to development urging authorities and stakeholders to treat it as a national emergency.

“GBV is not merely a women’s issue but it is a national crisis that requires a whole-of-society response,” the organisation said.

It called for stronger involvement from government, civil society groups, traditional leaders, the private sector and men’s organisations.

According to the report, Zimbabwe has made some progress in strengthening laws and policies aimed at tackling GBV.

Among the measures highlighted were the Marriage Act of 2022, which criminalises child marriage and the Cyber and Data Protection Act of 2022 aimed in part at addressing technology-facilitated abuse.

WCOZ also pointed to amendments to labour and criminal laws that increase protections against sexual violence and harmful practices.

The coalition said other signs of progress included the introduction of mandatory sentencing for rape offences and the launch of the National GBV Strategy for 2023 to 2030.

However, it warned that major challenges remain especially the lack of adequate funding for GBV programmes.

Under the HLPC, Zimbabwe committed itself to increasing domestic funding for GBV interventions from 10% to 90% by 2030 but WCOZ said large shortfalls persisted.

The compact, signed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2021 is intended as a roadmap aligned with national development plans.

It focuses on prevention, service delivery, humanitarian response, resource mobilisation and women’s economic empowerment.

With Zimbabwe aiming to eradicate GBV by the end of the decade, WCOZ said progress would remain fragile unless stronger action was taken.

“The gains recorded must be matched by strong implementation, accountability, and resource mobilisation,” the coalition said.

It added that a coordinated approach across sectors was essential to build a society free from violence against women and girls.

As Zimbabwe prepares for its next international human rights review in 2027, WCOZ said the time for promises had passed and urgent measurable action was now required.