The
UN
Working
Group visited Zimbabwe
and
assessed
progress
and
challenges
in
ensuring
gender
equality
and
eradicating
discrimination
in
terms
of
the
lives
of
women
and
girls.
Following
the
official
visit,
the
experts
acknowledged
progress
but
called
for
decisive
steps
to
dismantle
discriminatory
attitudes.
“Zimbabwe
must
actively
confront
and
eradicate
patriarchal
attitudes
that
undervalue
girls,
creating
a
society
which
nurtures
their
potential
as
future
leaders,
innovators
and
change
makers”,
the
UN
Working
Group
said
in
the
statement.
UNICEF emphasized the
strategic
importance
of
empowering
women,
who
make
up
52
percent
of
Zimbabwe’s
population,
but
noted
that
many
remain
disadvantaged.
UNICEF
cited
pressing
challenges,
including
early
marriage
and
pregnancy,
high
maternal
mortality,
limited
educational
opportunities,
and
gender-based
violence.
They
also
cited
research
that
shows
that
one
in
four
girls
aged
15-19
is
married,
and
many
face
difficulties
transitioning
to
secondary
school.
Girls
are
also
disproportionately
exposed
to
sexual
violence
both
at
home
and
in
schools.
According
to
UNICEF,
addressing
these
issues
requires
systemic
change
in
institutional
practices
and
social
norms
that
perpetuate
inequality.
The
Working
Group
reinforced
this
call,
highlighting
that
“gender
equality
is
not
a
zero-sum
goal
–
men
and
boys
also
stand
to
benefit
significantly
from
a
more
just
and
equal
society”.
The
experts
also
urged
the
Government
to
implement
public
awareness
campaigns
and
prioritize
“human
rights
education
for
boys
and
girls,
grounded
in
the
values
of
equality,
dignity,
and
autonomy”.
Post
published
in:
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