BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
The Ministry of Health and Child Care, in partnership with UNFPA and supported by the Health Resilience Fund, on Thursday officially launched the revised National Clinical Guidelines on the Care and Management of Survivors of Sexual Violence.
This landmark initiative aims to standardize survivor care across all health facilities nationwide, ensuring a consistent, high-quality, and inclusive response to gender-based violence (GBV).
Zimbabwe has made commendable progress in establishing robust legislative frameworks and progressive national programming. However, gender-based violence, and sexual violence in particular, remains an urgent public health and human rights crisis. According to the 2023-24 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey, data shows that at least 9 percent of women aged 15-49 experienced sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, and 5 percent experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months.
Speaking at the launch the Minister of Health and Child Care Dr. Douglas Mombeshora said: “the fight against sexual violence requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
“While today’s launch focuses on the clinical care of survivors, we recognize that healthcare alone cannot address the full impact of sexual violence. A survivor’s journey often begins long before they reach a health facility and continues long after they leave.”
Minister Mombeshora added: “this is why effective care requires close collaboration among the health sector, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Social Welfare Services, the Judiciary, Victim Friendly Courts, the education sector, local authorities and other Government institutions. Each sector has a unique responsibility, but our greatest impact comes when we work together as one system in support of survivors.”
The revised guidelines mark a significant step forward by emphasizing standardized service delivery that is fully inclusive of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, ensuring that no survivor is left behind.
UNFPA Country Representative Ms. Miranda Tabifor said: “while these revised guidelines mark a significant milestone for Zimbabwe, we must remember that guidelines on paper are only as powerful as their actual implementation on the ground.
“UNFPA remains committed to walking this path with the Government to ensure every survivor receives dignified and standardized care.”
Over the years UNFPA and partners have made great efforts to ensure survivors of sexual have access to timely care and support.
Under the Health Resilience Fund programme which is supported by the Governments of Britain, Ireland and the European Union, UNFPA has ensured standardized, quality GBV services are available at One Stop Centres across the country, enabling survivors of GBV to access life saving treatment under one roof.
This ensures that vulnerable survivors do not have to navigate a fragmented system, moving from isolated clinics to distant police stations and unaffordable legal services, an experience that often inflicts secondary trauma.
Across the seven One Stop Centres nationwide, dedicated frontline teams of health workers, case managers, counselors, Victim Friendly Unit officers, and legal aid providers work together to champion survivor dignity.
In 2025 alone, UNFPA-supported static and mobile centres provided direct services to 7,723 survivors and reached an additional 17,327 individuals through community awareness campaigns.
