UNICEF Zimbabwe |

Young Mothers Left Behind as Sexuality Education Falters in Schools

December 3, 2025December 3, 2025 Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere In Highfield, many pregnant learners are quietly disappearing from the classroom. Every day, it is almost impossible not to see Chipo wandering barefoot around the neighbourhood. To strangers, she may appear troubled, yet her mind is sharp and her speech clear. Chipo became pregnant in 2022 at the age of 14 while attending a private independent college nearby. She has never returned to school, despite being the eldest of ten children. “I was never that bright in school, so returning is a waste of time. I have…

Zimbabwe Launches Single Dose HPV Vaccine

December 1, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane Zimbabwe has officially launched the single-dose Human Papillomavirus vaccine, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against cervical cancer. Although rollout of the single-dose regimen had already begun, the formal launch signals the full transition from the previous two-dose schedule, which had been associated with high dropout rates among adolescent girls. Speaking during the launch, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the shift to a single dose was backed by strong scientific evidence and would help close critical gaps in cervical…

Relax, ARV Stocks Secure, Health Minister Tells People Living With HIV

November 30, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Umzingwane Health and Child Care Minister, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, has assured the nation that Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) drugs remain fully stocked, adding that government is working toward maintaining a 12-month supply buffer at all times. The Minister was responding to concerns raised by the Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) during the Candlelight Memorial Commemorations held at Umzingwane Primary School in Matabeleland South on the eve of World AIDS Day. We have already started procurement processes to make sure that at every stage we…

Youth Ministry and UNICEF Open New Innovation Hub for Young Zimbabweans

November 29, 2025November 29, 2025 Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere Zimbabwe continues to grapple with rising drug and substance misuse, a trend often linked to idleness and high unemployment among young people. In response, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training has begun establishing social innovation hubs, with the latest launched at Ruwa Vocational Training Centre on Friday. The Ruwa Social Innovation Hub is a partnership between Government, UNICEF and Boost Fellowship. Speaking at the launch, which coincided with the Harare Province combined graduation ceremony, Minister Tinoda Machakaire said the event’s theme aligned strongly with…

Investing in Zimbabwe’s Girls isn’t Charity, it’s a National Imperative

October 11, 2025October 11, 2025 Healthtimes

By Etona Ekole, UNICEF Zimbabwe Representative On this International Day of the Girl (October 11), UNICEF Zimbabwe’s Representative, Etona Ekole, highlights the immense potential of Zimbabwean girls and the critical importance of investing in their futures. She emphasizes that every girl lost to child marriage or school dropout represents a lost future leader. A personal encounter with an aspiring biochemist in Epworth illustrates why shifting perspectives is vital for Zimbabwe’s economic and social progress. On this International Day of the Girl, my thoughts are not on statistics…

UNICEF Zimbabwe launches campaign on children and climate change

March 28, 2024October 18, 2025 Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter UNICEF Zimbabwe has launched a communication campaign which seeks to involve children’s participation in climate change issues which are increasingly affecting them. The campaign also comes at a time when Zimbabwe is enduring an El-Nino induced drought. “The Climate Change Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis. Climate change is impacting the lives of children worldwide, also in Zimbabwe. “It creates scarcity in access to safe water and food, impacts on the health of children, increases children’s vulnerability to exploitation and abuse, and jeopardises their well-being, even threatening…

Call to reduce out-of-school rates in Zimbabwe

January 24, 2024 Kuda Pembere

By Staff Reporter Inasmuch as Zimbabwe has managed to see 90 percent of children to school, much needs to be done to reduce the number of out of school children for the nation to realise inclusive education, Unicef Representative to Zimbabwe Dr Tajudeen Oyewale said. With the world commemorating the International Day of Education, Dr Oyewale said the day provides the country a change to evaluate its progress regarding the provision of policies which direct positive attitudes towards education. “We commend Zimbabwe for the high net enrollment ratio in primary…

Over 4 000 Malnourished Zim children Admitted In Hospital

June 12, 2023 Kuda Pembere

INCREASING poverty levels coupled with shortages of Ready To Use Therapeutic Foods (RTUFs) like ‘Plumpy-Nut,’ has resulted in 4 300 children being admitted in hospital for wasting, a scenario which threatens to derail the gains made in reducing wasting amongst children under five years. By Kuda Pembere The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes wasting as acute malnutrition. It is a sign that a child has experienced short periods of undernutrition, resulting in significant wastage of muscle and fat tissue. This means their weight is very low for their height. In…