On
this
International
Women’s
Day,
Veritas
joins
the
global
community
in
honouring
the
resilience,
achievements
and
contributions
of
women
in
Zimbabwe
and
across
the
world.
The
2026
theme
is:
“Give
to
Gain”.
It
reminds
us
that
societies
flourish
when
they
give
women
the
space,
resources
and
respect
they
deserve
–
because
empowering
women
is
not
a
loss,
but
a
collective
gain.
This
message
carries
particular
weight
in
Zimbabwe,
where
women
and
girls
constitute
more
than
half
of
the
population
–
over
52
per
cent.
To
weaken
protections
for
women
is
therefore
to
weaken
protections
for
the
majority
of
our
citizens.
Hence
it
is
tragic
that
the
proposed
Constitutional
Amendment
(No.
3)
Bill
threatens
to
dismantle
the
Zimbabwe
Gender
Commission
[ZGC]
and
merge
its
functions
into
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Commission [ZHRC].
According
to
the
Bill’s
memorandum,
the
Human
Rights
Commission
is
mandated
to
protect
all
human
rights,
including
gender
rights,
so
the
amendment
will
remove
a
duplication
of
functions. This
may
sound
reasonable
on
the
surface,
but
when
one
delves
deeper
it
is
highly
unsatisfactory. The
ZGC
does
not
in
fact
duplicate
the
functions
of
the
ZHRC.
The amendment,
if
passed,
would
undermining
decades
of
progress
and
contradicts
the
spirit
of
“Give
to
Gain”.
Though
framed
as
“restructuring,”
the
amendment
will
fundamentally
alter
the
architecture
for
gender
equality,
erasing
hard-won
gains.
It
is
a
highly
retrogressive
step. It
will
result
in:
-
Loss
of
specialised
oversight: The
ZGC
was
created
as
a
dedicated
watchdog
for
gender
equality.
Its
abolition
will
dilute
focus,
forcing
gender
issues
to
compete
with
broader
human
rights
concerns. -
Less
Protection
for
women
and
girls: Survivors
of
gender-based
violence
and
discrimination
may
face
reduced
visibility
and
support,
leaving
them
more
vulnerable. -
Reduced
accountability
and
advocacy: The
ZGC
has
held
institutions
accountable
for
gender
mainstreaming.
Without
it,
gender-specific
monitoring
risks
being
sidelined. -
Conflict
with
international
obligations: Zimbabwe
risks
breaching
its
commitments
under
the
Convention
on
the
Elimination
of
all
forms
of
Discrimination
against
Women
[CEDAW] [link] and
the
Protocol
to
the
African
Charter
on
Human
and
Peoples’
Rights
[the
Maputo
Protocol] [link],
which
require
member
States
to
have
strong,
independent
gender-focused
institutions.
On
this
day,
we
affirm
that
to
give
women
strong,
independent
institutions
is
to
gain
a
more
just,
equitable,
and
prosperous
Zimbabwe.
True
progress
comes
not
from
dismantling
protections,
but
from
reinforcing
them.
We
call
on
Parliament,
civil
society,
and
all
citizens
to
resist
measures
that
will
silence
women’s
voices
and
weaken
their
protections.
Giving
women
an
institution
for
robust
oversight
and
accountability
is
not
optional
–
it
is
a
path
to
national
strength
and
democratic
integrity.
Let
us
stand
together
to
ensure
Zimbabwe’s
daughters,
sisters
and
mothers
are
not
left
behind.
When
we
give
to
women,
the
majority
of
our
nation,
we
gain
as
a
people.
Veritas
makes
every
effort
to
ensure
reliable
information,
but
cannot
take
legal
responsibility
for
information
supplied.
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