EU Partners Ministry of Women Affairs to Fight Gender Issues In Zim

The European Ambassador to Zimbabwe Jobst van Kirchmann on Monday launched the Team Europe initiative programme worthy 209 million euros equivalent to $US220 United States Dollars to deal with gender equality and gender empowerment issues in Zimbabwe.

Addressing the media, Minister of Women Affairs Sithembiso Nyoni and EU Ambassador highlighted that Team Europe initiative programme will seek to find proper solutions in preventing Gender Based Violence (GBV) and promote gender equality issues in the country.

“Today we have launched before the team Europe initiative on gender equality and gender empowerment.

“EU member States and Switzerland have also joined and we are committed to the calls of gender equality and gender empowerment here in Zimbabwe and the reason why we have launched such an initiative which amounts to 209 million euros until 2027 is because this initiative has a very fertile ground.

“The fertile ground is actually the commitments of the government in particular the Ministry of Women Affairs to drive forward gender equality and women empowerment  and we have seen all of us how much this has anchored in National Strategy Development 1 different areas and bringing together  what we call, a call value for the European Union, gender equality plus the ambition and commitment in the NDS1 made it possible to have such initiative,” said Kirchmann.

Nyoni also added that this initiative is in line with the NDS1.

“His excellency the Ambassador of EU this has been really a great day to have its inaugural meeting with the Ministry greatly appreciates Team Europe initiative which has come together to mobilise European States to work with the Ministry on Gender issues especially against Gender Based Violence (GBV) and also Women’s empowerment.

“It was amazing as we were talking around the table that most of the programmes that we are going to do together support directly NDS1 and our Ministry is excited and look forward to work together with team Europe to solve a lot of challenges women are facing in our country,” said Nyoni.