HARARE, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's participation in the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women is a testament to its unwavering commitment to advancing gender equality and women's empowerment, a senior government official said Tuesday.
Mavis Sibanda, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, told Xinhua in a written interview that "the forum provides a platform for knowledge exchange, enabling Zimbabwe to learn from global best practices in advancing gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as to share its own experiences and innovations."
According to Sibanda, the meeting also presents Zimbabwe with an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships in promoting gender equality and women's empowerment.
"This renewed global dialogue provides a platform for nations to reaffirm their dedication to implementing the Beijing Declaration and to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls," she said.
Zimbabwe is represented at the meeting by Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa.
Sibanda said the minister highlighted the progress Zimbabwe has made over the years, from establishing gender-responsive institutions and policies that promote women's participation in leadership and decision-making, to investing in women's economic empowerment.
Measures such as expanding education and training opportunities for girls and young women, and promoting women-owned enterprises through dedicated funding mechanisms and entrepreneurial support programs, were also mentioned, she added.
"These measures demonstrate Zimbabwe's commitment to global development frameworks such as the Beijing Platform for Action and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5," Sibanda said.
Since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Zimbabwe has made substantial progress in implementing its provisions through policy reforms, institutional frameworks, and gender-sensitive programming, she added.
The global meeting, Sibanda noted, underscores the urgent need for collective international action to close persistent gender gaps and ensure that women are placed at the center of sustainable development efforts.
"It further highlights the importance of international cooperation in formulating and implementing policies that empower women politically, socially and economically across all regions," she said.
Sibanda added that the global meeting holds profound significance as it marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
The conference, she said, laid the groundwork for the global advancement of gender equality and women's rights through the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which continues to serve as a key guiding framework for gender equality initiatives worldwide.
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