Zimbabwe strengthens SGBV response and faces calls for AU convention ratification

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) and UN Women are collaborating to strengthen the justice system's response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). During a meeting in Harare, UN Women Regional Director Anna Mutavati and Prosecutor-General Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo discussed enhancing institutional capacity and digital systems. A high-capacity server donated by UN Women is currently supporting the NPAZ's Digital Case Management System to improve evidence-based decision-making and prosecution.

Simultaneously, civil society organisations (CSOs) are calling on the Zimbabwean government to move from signing to implementing the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU-CEVAWG). Following Zimbabwe's signature of the convention in August 2026, advocates are urging the state to begin the process of ratification and domestication into national law. CSOs emphasized that implementation must address the specific needs of diverse groups, including rural women, women with disabilities, and those in the informal sector.