UPR Sexual Rights Database

"Midterm Report:
The new Constitution provides for a reserved quota for women in the National Assembly and proportional representation in the Senate. As a result, Zimbabwe has witnessed an increase in representation of women in Parliament as they make up 32% in the National Assembly and 48% of Senate, which constitutes a total 34% of the current Parliament. The Constitution further calls upon government to ensure full gender balance and to take measures to promote the full participation of women in all spheres on the basis of equality with men. This includes equal representation in all institutions, agencies of government, commissions and other elective bodies at all levels.

UN Compilation:
Para 23) The Committee commended efforts to apply temporary special measures allowing women to access loans under the small and medium-sized enterprises policy in 2010 ….

Stakeholder Summary
Para 24) JS7 stated that at the 2011 review, Zimbabwe agreed to implement measures to prohibit discrimination against women, address the marginalization and exclusion of women from the economic, social and political spheres. The 2013 Constitution protected women’s rights and prohibited discrimination on basis of gender. However, the envisaged equality had not translated into social and economic empowerment for women"

National Report:
Para 53) On affirmative actions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and girls, the Government is currently implementing the R-ARCSS,2018 and has advanced the provisions of Article 16 of the Transitional Constitution,2011(as amended) by increasing women participation in the public and governance institutions from 25% to 35%. Also, the Government in its public service policies and the Labour Act, 2017 ensured equal participation and equal pay for women and men.
Para 55) On measures taken to improve socioeconomic situation of internally displaced women, the Government with development partners, provided support to the internally displaced women, to improve their lives through, trained women and girls on tailoring, basket making hair dressing and crafts and other income generating activities.
Para 56) On women who cannot undertake income-generating activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the women were trained in new skills like liquid soap making and tailoring to produce face masks. On women affected by floods and droughts, the Government in collaboration with development partners provided relief food.
Para 57) On employment opportunities for women, the Government has adopted measures to increase women participation in the public service and recruitment into organized forces. A number of female officers were recruited and promoted to various ranks and files, including promotion to the ranks of Generals in the army, National Security, police, prisons and Wildlife. The organized forces Code of Conducts determines exclusion of perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence from the forces including in the would-be Necessary Unified Forces.

UN Compilation:
Para 67) The Secretary-General reported that, despite progress made regarding state and local government appointments, the parties continued to fall short of the quota for women. He urged them to adhere to the 35 per cent quota in all government institutions, as stipulated in the Revitalized Agreement.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 54) JS6 observed that men enjoyed greater access to employment due to customary expectations for women to take care of the household. Despite increased representation of women in parliament, the Government should continue efforts to increase their participation in the public sector.

National Report:
Para 46) To improve the existing mechanisms for reporting cases of sexual and gender-based violence against and to ensure access to justice for victims and survivors of the gender-based violence, the Government with support from the development partners, in 2019, established within the Judiciary a Juvenile and Gender Based Violence Court. The court is based in Juba in Central Equatoria State, with mobile units in Malakal in Upper Nile State, Yambio in Western Equatoria State and Torit in the Eastern Equatoria State. The Court has so far in 2020 to 2021 tried and sentenced 369 cases, out of which, 82 are cases of violence against juvenile and gender-based violence.

National Report:
Para 53) On affirmative actions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women and girls, the Government is currently implementing the R-ARCSS,2018 and has advanced the provisions of Article 16 of the Transitional Constitution,2011(as amended) by increasing women participation in the public and governance institutions from 25% to 35%. Also, the Government in its public service policies and the Labour Act, 2017 ensured equal participation and equal pay for women and men.
Para 54) On public awareness raising on the rights of women, the Government in collaboration with development partners, in February, 2020, organized a three (3) days South Sudan Women Leadership Conference to raise women awareness on the rights enshrined in the related Conventions. The participants were from all the ten (10) States. However, due to the then insecurity, the Government was only able to conduct public awareness in limited areas less affected by the conflict, especially the rural areas. Also, the Government and civil society organizations conducted awareness campaign workshops in Eastern Equatoria, Western Bahr El Ghazal and Jonglei, to explain to women provisions of the Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 13) ACHPR was appalled by the deliberate targeting of civilians, particularly women and children, by both government and opposition forces. It particularly condemned the 2018 acts of violence constituting gross violations of human and peoples’ rights under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and international humanitarian law.

National Report:
Para 98) On measures taken to enforce section 26 (3) of the Child Act and section 30 (8) of the General Education Act on the right of pregnant girls and young mothers to attend school, the Government with support from development partner put in place a financial support to such students to ensure their retention in schools. To encourage girls returning to schools after dropping out, the Government has a readmission policy to encourage pregnant girls and young mothers to attend classes.
Para 99) To implement alternative education system, the Government has introduced Accelerated Learning Programme and Adult literacy Programme to reduce illiteracy among women and girls and to provide continuing education programmes for women who are unable to complete primary or higher education. Also, the Government has developed a national curriculum for ICT to promote digital education, however there still remains an infrastructure challenge.
Para 100) To prevent out of school girls from adopting negative coping mechanisms, the Government established an Emergency Response Committee to continue with education activities supported by development partners during school closure and lockdown mainly through Distance Learning Programme, Education on Air, Online Modules for Leaners, Recorded Lesion for Hard-to-Reach Population, provision of Radios Handsets for Disadvantaged Communities, Cash Transfer for Girls and Community Awareness.
Para 103) In Yei County of the Central Equatoria State, number of children enrolment into schools have increased in the year 2020 alone, from 6,000 to 12,360. This increase in the enrollment of pupils in schools is attributed to the stability and the return of refugees and internally displaced person to the area. In some schools, enrollment of girls is more than boys. In addition, there are about one public hospital and four (4) private medical clinics, operating in Yei.
Para 110) The Government with support from development partners established the Girls Education South Sudan programme (GESS) which encourages girls to continue attending school.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 46) … Parents also kept their children at home to take care of cattle and perform domestic responsibilities, while girls were kept at home to protect their value as economic assets.
Para 47) … JS4 noted that children had also reported widespread abuse by teachers, including a prevalence of sexual harassment.

National Report:
Para 15) On ratification of the international and regional instruments, the Government has since the last UPR review, submitted to the National Legislative Assembly, for accession, the ICCPR, the ICESCR, the CRPD …