By Munyaradzi Blessing Doma For decades, global public health experts have agreed on one thing: banning a dangerous substance rarely eliminates its use. It often pushes the trade underground, where governments lose visibility and control. Regulation, however, gives policymakers room to monitor, manage and gradually reduce harm. This tension now sits at the center of a growing global debate. As the World Health Organization (WHO) considers tightening international controls on tobacco production under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), major tobacco-producing economies fear that sweeping restrictions could trigger economic…
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Global Fund Appeals for Support Ahead of 8th Replenishment, Calls for African Ownership of HIV Programs
By Michael Gwarisa in Durban The Global Fund last night took to the platform at the ongoing 4th CPHIA Conference in Durban, South Africa, to call for support towards the 8th Replenishment, aimed at strengthening HIV programs amid shrinking donor support. The Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment is a campaign launched in 2025 to raise 18 billion US dollars to fight HIV, TB, and malaria between 2027 and 2029. The 8th cycle aims to save 23 million lives, avert 400 million infections, reduce mortality by 64% compared to 2023, and strengthen…
Read MoreZimbabwe’s Nutrition Advocacy and Parliamentary Engagement Project Gains Traction
By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to enhance nutrition advocacy and strengthen policymaker engagement on child nutrition and development, Zimbabwe has launched a network of nutrition champions, an initiative that is now gaining momentum and driving greater collaboration across sectors. The programme is being implemented by the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA), with financial and technical support from UNICEF, in collaboration with key government ministries and departments. The launch followed a recent report by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC), which revealed that stunting remains a…
Read MoreFruit Trees and Textbooks: A Community’s Dual Fight for Growth
By Kudakwashe Pembere Under the blazing Hatcliffe sun on the outskirts of Harare, a resilient community keeps growing against all odds. Among its youngest members is Ruvimbo, a Grade 5 pupil whose dreams take root in both soil and study. For her, a brighter future begins with education. Each day, she walks to school — now closer to home after transferring from Hatcliffe 2 Primary. On this sunny Monday morning, she kneels beside a Rotary Club Msasa member to plant a tree. As they chat, she opens up about her…
Read MoreZimbabwe and UNFPA Begin Consultations for 9th Country Programme (2027–2031)
By Michael Gwarisa The Government of Zimbabwe and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have commenced consultations to develop the 9th Country Programme of Cooperation, which will run from 2027 to 2031. The two-day Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, taking place in Harare from 6 to 7 October 2025, brings together senior government officials, civil society, academia, youth representatives, and development partners to collectively shape the country’s future priorities for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), gender equality, and population dynamics. According to the concept note, the workshop seeks to “collectively…
Read MoreWCOZ Hosts Indaba to Unpack Climate Change Management Bill
By Staff Reporter The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) last week convened a high-level indaba in Harare to deliberate on the proposed Climate Change Management Bill, a piece of legislation that seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for Zimbabwe’s response to climate change. The gathering brought together civil society, legal experts, government stakeholders and grassroots representatives to scrutinise the bill with a particular focus on its gender implications. Speaking at the indaba, Caroline Mutimbanyoka said the coalition’s interest in the bill was rooted in the reality that women and girls…
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