UNFPA |

Isolated And Frowned Upon: The Plight Of Zim Women With Obstetric Fistula

May 26, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

UNFPA Says there is need for post-surgery psycho-social support for survivors MEMORY (50) (real name protected) from Bikita, Masvingo experienced Obstetric Fistula for the first time on October, 27, 1995 when she had her second child. At first, she didn’t even know what was happening to her, she thought it was just a minor tearing which would heal after a few days. Obstetric fistula is described as the “most devastating birth injury” by the World Health Organization (WHO), that results in continuous and uncontrollable leaking of urine or faeces, resulting…

Japan Commits US1,3 Million To Help Zim’s Pregnant Women

April 22, 2021 Healthtimes

THE Japanese government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency have pledged to help pregnant women in Zimbabwe through a signed US$ 1,3 million partnership grant. By Patricia Mashiri Through the project “Strengthening Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care in COVID-19 Hotspots in Zimbabwe”, Japan will provide support to improve the provision of maternal health care services within the context of COVID-19, specifically strengthening the referral system and ensuring the continuity of assisted delivery care in Harare and Bulawayo. Mr Satoshi Tanaka,…

Nearly Half Of All Women Are Denied Their Bodily Autonomy, Says new UNFPA report

April 15, 2021 Healthtimes

NEARLY half of women in 57 developing countries are denied the right to decide whether to have sex with their partners, use contraception or seek health care, according to UNFPA’s 2021 flagship State of World Population report, released today. By Staff Reporter According to the UNFPA report, the lack of bodily autonomy has massive implications beyond the profound harms to individual women and girls: potentially depressing economic productivity, undercutting skills, and resulting in extra costs to health care and judicial systems. Through the groundbreaking report, UNFPA is measuring both women’s…

Government of China invests $1,24 million for the health of women and girls in Cyclone Idai affected districts of Zimbabwe

March 11, 2021March 12, 2021 Healthtimes

THE Government of China and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated reproductive health medical equipment and medicines as part of the US$1,24 million support to the Government of Zimbabwe‘s Health Assistance Project for Women and Girls in Zimbabwe Affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts. The objective of the health assistance project is to enable the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to strengthen emergency obstetric and neonatal care in the cyclone affected areas in Zimbabwe. This is in turn expected to contribute to the…

We Are Happy With Sinopharm Vaccine Uptake Says Chinese Ambassador To Zim…Maintains Vaccine Is Safe, Even Pregnant Women Can Take It

March 11, 2021March 11, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

THE Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Guo Shaochun says the uptake of the Sinopharm Vaccine in Zimbabwe was impressive and with more support, Zimbabwe could defeat the coronavirus menace early. By Michael Gwarisa His response comes hot on the heels of recent reports that the vaccine was getting low uptake even amongst front-line health workers who were initially targeted during the first phase of the vaccination program. To date, more than 35,000 Zimbabweans have been vaccinated from the 200,000 doses Zimbabwe received from China in February. Responding to questions during…

A Thigh For For A Bucket: Sexual Abuse Reigns Supreme At Boreholes and Waterpoints In Zimbabwe

March 3, 2021March 3, 2021 Michael Gwarisa

THE absence of adequate water and sanitation facilities provides a fertile breeding ground for Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV). In both rural and urban settings in Zimbabwe, girls and women travel long distances to fetch water and, in some instances where ablution facilities are not available, they relieve themselves in the bush, further making girls and young women targets of abuse. By Michael Gwarisa According to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of 2019, a sizable number of households in Zimbabwe still lack sufficient Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities…

Zimbabwe Sets-Up National Task force To Monitor ICPD@25 Commitments

November 18, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

ZIMBABWE has commenced the process of setting up a National Task-force (NTF) for monitoring the implementation of commitments the country made at the 25th International Conference on Population Development (ICPD@25) that was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019. By Michael Gwarisa Through support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Partners in Population Development (PPD) have selected Zimbabwe and nine other countries namely Bangladesh, Morocco, Thailand, Nigeria, South Africa, Indonesia, India, Benin, and Uganda to take further initiatives to continued national consultations through National Task Forces (NTF) for South…

One year after Nairobi, the march continues towards rights and choices for all

November 12, 2020November 12, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

Despite global COVID-19 crisis, governments uphold support for women’s and girls’ health and rights, one year after historic summit on ICPD25 AS the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a heavy toll on the health and economies of countries around the world, governments, non-governmental organizations, international financial institutions and the private sector are stepping up political, financial and in-kind support for programmes that protect the health and rights of women and girls in developing countries. A year ago, at the landmark Nairobi Summit on ICPD25, the world came together to commit…

More Zim Women Withdraw Rape and SGBV Cases from Police and Courts

October 29, 2020October 29, 2020 Michael Gwarisa

IN a rather disturbing trend, numbers of women withdrawing rape and Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases they would have filed with the police or courts have been increasing over the past few years. By Michael Gwarisa Even though the reasons behind the huge withdrawals are yet to be ascertained, it is largely believed that societal and family pressures could be the reason behind the huge spike in case being withdrawn by survivors. Presenting at a Media Sensitisation Workshop on reporting on SGBV in Zimbabwe that was organised by UNICEF,…

Delivering as one in the face of COVID-19

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020 Healthtimes

Amid the COVID 19 pandemic World Food Programme food distribution points have provided a one stop shop for millions of Zimbabwe. It has become a platform for knowledge exchange as well as a go to place for family planning commodities. WFP is the largest humanitarian organization in the UN system, with the deepest field presence in the most difficult settings. WFP’s vast footprint across Zimbabwe provides the opportunity for partners across the humanitarian and health sector to use its food distributions as a one-stop-shop for providing essential information and services.…