Girls and Women Empowerment Network (GWEN) as a community-focused organisation appreciates the role of every individual to advance the aspirations of a gender-equal Zimbabwe where young people thrive with support from all socio-economic and political structures.
On Friday, GWEN launched the #iparticipate project aimed at promoting young women's participation in development processes supported by the Youth Democracy Cohort, the European Partnership for Democracy, and powered by the European Union.
GWEN will continue in its efforts to promote girls and young women’s access to resources and economic, educational, and leadership opportunities.
The project is hinged on peaceful intergenerational dialogues and engagement at the community level to ensure traditional and religious practices promote young people’s opportunities and access to resources from their communities rather than oppress them.
Intergenerational conversations that value young women’s effective contribution to community development and lead to the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence as it disrupts community growth.
Intergenerational dialogues that Recognise, Redistribute, and Remunerate unpaid care and domestic work carried out by girls and women.
Intergenerational conversations that lead to improved youth representation in positions of authority and influence without discrimination by age or gender.
The organization believes local communities identify challenges they are faced with and can create lasting solutions where girls and women develop to their full potential.
Young people have voices and can influence positive development, given the right opportunities, right resources at the right time for the right reasons.
Young people’s right to participate in all development processes for sustainable economies that treat everyone with respect.
The project seeks to create safe platforms for dialogue and engagement with policymakers, community leaders, social influencers, and young people from the community on the best practical ways of removing barriers to youth participation in development processes and effective youth decision-making.
This launch reinforces the importance on continued efforts by GWEN, its partners and stakeholders towards a gender transformed and disability inclusive society where participation in all decision making processes is peaceful and rewarding.