Zimbabwe has adopted a unified Gender Monitoring and Reporting Framework, marking a significant shift from fragmented data collection to a standardised system that will enhance policy evaluation and accountability.
The framework, validated at a national workshop in Harare from May 27 to 28, consolidates reporting obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals into a single, coherent structure.
Zimbabwe has struggled with outdated, inconsistent and incomplete gender statistics, making it difficult to track progress on issues such as women’s landownership, unpaid care work and economic participation.
Officials often faced last-minute data submissions or uncertainty over which indicators to monitor.
“We were scrambling to meet deadlines. Sometimes ministries send data only days before a report is due. Other times, they don’t know what indicators to track,” said Egnes Nhengo, Director of Gender at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MWACSMED).
With United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)’s technical guidance, Zimbabwe adapted the Minimum Set of Gender Indicators for Africa to its national context, merging multiple reporting demands into one coherent system.
The new framework focuses on six domains: economic resources, health, education, human rights, public decision making and environment, with 146 context-specific indicators.
“Rather than chase ten different reporting templates, we want everyone to speak the same language,” said Edna Akullq, an Economic Affairs Officer at ECA.
MWACSMED will coordinate data collection, while Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) will establish baselines and targets.
ZIMSTAT will refine baselines by August 2025, while MWACSMED aims to finalise the framework by June and publish Zimbabwe’s first Annual Gender Statistical Report in early 2026.
A multi-stakeholder steering committee, including civil society, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and UN partners, will oversee implementation.
Participants also proposed expanding the current gender-based violence information system into a broader Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Management Information System, integrating unique ID codes for better tracking.
The framework will be instrumental in shaping Zimbabwe’s forthcoming National Development Strategy II, ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment are mainstreamed into the 10 national priorities with clear indicators, baselines and measurable targets.
JN/APA