Bulawayo (New Ziana)-The policy priority of the government for next year will primarily focus on capacitating women, communities and small businesses through funding, market development and trade promotion, a cabinet Minister has said.
Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said this on Monday while officially opening her Ministry`s four-day strategic review workshop.
The meeting brought together various stakeholders drawn from civil society, the banking sector, the Parliament of Zimbabwe, United Nations agencies such as UN Women, the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP).
“Our policy priority areas for 2025 should primarily focus on capacitating women, communities, and MSMEs through funding, market development, trade promotion, Business Management, and Technical Skills trainings, among other initiatives by the Zimbabwe Women Micro-Finance Bank, Women Development Fund, Zimbabwe Community Development Fund, and Small and the Medium Enterprises Development Corporation (SMEDCO).
“We are also looking at promoting gender equality and equity, implementing programs to end child marriages, finalizing the Community Development Policy.
“Our focus should also be on enacting the Savings and Credit Cooperative Bill, reviewing the Cooperatives Societies Act, developing workspaces for women and MSMEs. We want to facilitate market access for women and MSMEs through local, regional, and international fairs, exhibitions, and shows,” she said.
Mutsvangwa pointed out that they will continue to enhance good corporate governance, embed transparency and accountability, and deliver value for money to the citizenry.
She also hinted on the need for her Ministry`s policies and initiatives to align with international and regional commitments, including resolutions from esteemed bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly, SADC Heads Of State Summit and Commission on the Status of Women.
“These commitments underscore our unwavering dedication to gender empowerment, SME development, and cooperative growth—a dedication that transcends borders and ideologies.
“We aim to create a clear roadmap that will guide us for the next phase of our journey. The open-door policy must be the norm, not an exception. Therefore, stakeholder engagement and dialogue should continue to be fostered,” she said.
Mutsvangwa urged stakeholders to be guided by the country`s blueprint the National Development Strategy (NDS1) in their discussions.
“This strategy has been a beacon illuminating our path, steering our efforts towards a more efficient, equitable, and prosperous society,” she said.
She also spoke of the forthcoming transition from NDS1 to NDS2, saying the shift will pave way towards the country`s national vision of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society by 2030.
“As we navigate through the final year of NDS1 and the Ministry’s inaugural 5-year Strategic Plan under the New Dispensation, let us remain resolute in our dedication, unwavering in our resolve, and steadfast in our pursuit of a brighter tomorrow for all Zimbabweans,” she said.
She also commended the work so far accomplished by her ministry which includes women empowerment, gender mainstreaming, community development of small business and cooperative growth.
“Noteworthy achievements include the successful launch of the Inaugural High-Level Women in Leadership Summit and the commissioning of the Maker-Space Innovation in Bulawayo, the Commissioning of the Chiredzi SMEs Centre and the delivery of tractors to our sugarcane farmers among others.
Mutsvangwa also highlighted that in line with the devolution and decentralisation agenda, her Ministry should be responsive to the needs of individuals and household, village, district, provincial level.
“Our strategic review encompasses various aspects and is centred on establishing clear goals, defining priorities, and allocating resources effectively guided by clear Key Performance Indicators, Outputs, and Outcomes.
New Ziana
