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Zimbabwe Records Upsurge In Adolescents Booking In Antenatal Clinics

February 1, 2024February 1, 2024 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Adolescent pregnancy prevalence in Zimbabwe is standing at 23.7 percent, while 21 percent of Antenatal Clinic (ANC) bookings were recorded from January 2019 to December 2022 among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years, HealthTimes can reveal. The pregnancies have largely been driven by a myriad of factors, chief among them being economic-induced hardships, sexual abuse, and early exposure to pornographic and indecent online content, according to data from a National Assessment of Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe. The National assessment was conducted by the Centre for Sexual Health…

East and Southern Africa Region records rise in new HIV infections among older women

December 7, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While progress has been made regarding improving HIV health outcomes for Adolescent Young Women and Girls (AGYW) in the East, Southern African (ESA) region, a worrying trend shows that more new cases are now being recorded among older women aged between 25 to 34 years. HIV data shows that women are the face of HIV on the African continent, with 63 percent of all new infections in the continent being recorded in women and is even more pronounced among adolescent girls and young women. HIV infection rates…

Zimbabwe Launches 16 Days Of Activism Against GBV Campaign

November 17, 2023November 17, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to raise awareness around Gender Based Violence (GBV) and to spotlight struggles facing women and girls in reaching their full potential, Zimbabwe has officially launched the 2023 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The launch was organised by the United Nations Population Fund in Zimbabwe (UNFPA-Zimbabwe), as a precursor to the commencement of the official campaign period which kicks off on November 25, marking the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which is an internationally recognised campaign on…

Protecting adolescents from unplanned pregnancies through access to comprehensive SRHR services

October 16, 2023October 16, 2023 Healthtimes

By Dr Mildred T. Mushunje Adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health matters, and their lives matter!! Adolescents and young people constitute the bulge of population in the Sub-Saharan region, Zimbabwe in particular. An adolescent is any persons aged between 10 and 19 years. Very young adolescents are defined as those aged between 10 and 14 years and older adolescents as those aged between 15 and 19 years[1]. Investing in their good health and well-being increases their chances for better and more productive adult lives (SRHR Africa Trust, SAT, 2021[2]) yet they…

20th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Population and Development Kicks Off In Victoria Falls

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

The 20th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Population and Development commenced today in the resort town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. By Michael Gwarisa Officiating at the event, Zimbabwe’s President Emerson Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was making progress towards meeting commitments made at the ICPD 25 in Nairobi Kenya. It is notable that females have a higher life expectancy compared to their male counterparts, while life expectancy has risen to 65 years. Zimbabwe’s national Maternal Mortality Ratio is on a decreasing trend, from 651 per 100 000 live…

UNFPA Regional Director calls for greater investment in Population and Development issues ahead of international conference in Zimbabwe

October 7, 2023October 7, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

UNFPA East and Southern Africa Regional Director Ms. Lydia Zigomo has called for greater investment for the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) agenda ahead of the 20th International Inter-Ministerial Conference on South-South Cooperation in Population and Development. By Staff Reporter Ms Zigomo is in Zimbabwe ahead of this important conference that will take place in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 9-10 October 2023. The Population and Development conference seeks to track progress of commitments made at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994.…

UNFPA Zimbabwe Explores Use Of Drones To Reach Women and Girls In Inaccessible Areas With Services

August 2, 2023August 2, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

The United Nations Population Fund in Zimbabwe (UNFPA-Zimbabwe), says it will soon be rolling out Drone Technology to deliver services to women and girls in hard-to-reach areas. By Michael Gwarisa The move is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which recognize innovation as critical to accelerating progress towards global development aspirations as it ensures they deliver on their three transformative results to end preventable maternal death, end unmet need for family planning, and end violence gender-based violence (GBV) and all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation and child…

Address Youth Migration To Harness Demographic Dividend- Zim government told

July 28, 2023July 28, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

THE rate at which migration is happening, especially in the young and middle-aged population, could cripple Zimbabwe’s economy when its population growth reaches below replacement levels, experts have warned. By Michael Gwarisa The call follows findings from the State of the World Population (SOWP) Report which was conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and shows that the world population has reached 8 Billion amidst indications that Zimbabwe is a youthful country, with more than 60 percent of the population under the age of 25. According to the UNFPA,…

SOWP Report Findings a Wake-Up Call for Zim Government to Respect Women’s Bodily Autonomy

July 27, 2023July 27, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

GOVERNMENT should allow women the power to make decisions regarding their own Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), a top Zimbabwe Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises official has said. By Michael Gwarisa This was revealed during the launch of the 2023 State of the World Population Report (SWOP) in the Capital Harare. The report was conducted by the United National Population Fund (UNFPA) and revealed that while the world population has reached the 8 billion mark, more women and girls were still lagging in terms of access…

As ICPD30 Beckons, Here Is How Zimbabwe Has Fared In Fulfilling Nairobi Summit Commitments

July 26, 2023July 26, 2023 Michael Gwarisa

IN 2019, Zimbabwe joined the world in Nairobi, Kenya for the 25th International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action (ICPD25). The week-long event aimed to strengthen partnerships and harness re-commitments in the continued empowerment of women, and young people and ensuring access to sexual reproductive health (SRH) services. By Michael Gwarisa Next year, 2024, the ICPD will mark 30 years since the ICPD Programme of Action was adopted in 1994 by 179 Member States in Cairo Egypt. The ICPD, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),…