Tag: PARLIAMENT OF ZIMBABWE

Why Reforming the Termination of Pregnancy Act Can No Longer Wait

Michael Gwarisa

By Edinah Masiyiwa I have been closely following recent developments on access to safe abortion for women and girls in Zimbabwe. As I reflect on the Women’s Action Group’s (WAG) campaign on safe abortion in the early 1990s, I am encouraged by how far the country has come on this issue. When WAG advocated for access to safe abortion then, the organisation faced intense opposition that ultimately silenced the public campaign. Quiet, behind-the-scenes advocacy continued, eventually resulting in post-abortion care being adopted as a key component of reproductive health services—an…

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15th SAYWHAT Students Conference Introduces Parliament Researchers

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere The 15th edition of the Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) Students Conference roared to life on Monday with new additions, namely the presence of Parliament researchers and students from universities, teacher training colleges, and agricultural training institutions. The opening day featured a Research Indaba where parliamentary portfolio committee researchers shared insights and educated students on how Parliament works. Research papers presented by students covered topics such as GBV among males, the nexus between Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), disability and climate,…

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Zimbabwe Faces Severe Shortage of Forensic Pathologists

Michael Gwarisa
Minister of Health Dr. Douglas Mombeshora shares a light moment with Dr. Ron Mhizha of the Eye Institute and Chrispen Dzingirai of Old Mutual Zimbabwe during the launch of free cataract eye clinics.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is grappling with a critical shortage of forensic pathologists, a crisis that has forced families to transport bodies across provinces for post-mortem examinations and delayed justice in criminal cases. Health and Child Care Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora told Parliament this week that until recently, the country had only one qualified forensic pathologist, making it nearly impossible to conduct timely examinations across the nation. Forensic post-mortems require specialised expertise beyond the training of general pathologists. Unfortunately, we only had one forensic pathologist in the country. This created…

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Local NGO Plans to Revive Breastfeeding Room for Female Parliamentarians at New Parliament Building

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following the relocation of Zimbabwe’s Parliament to the new Mt Hampden parliament building, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) is working to re-establish a breastfeeding room for female parliamentarians and staff. This initiative aims to promote and support breastfeeding in line with global health recommendations and recent national legislation. In 2021, ZCSOSUNA, with support from Parliament and Save the Children UK, launched a breastfeeding room at the old Parliament building in Harare’s Central Business District. The room provided a safe and private space…

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