The MOU was signed by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Mr Lovemore Moyo, Clerk of Parliament, Mr Austin Zvoma and the Executive Director of ZWRCN, Mrs Naome Chimbetete at Parliament Building in Harare. The Deputy President of Senate, Hon. Naison K. Ndlovu, Department Heads at Parliament, ZWRCN staff and members of the press witnessed the signing of the MOU.
A range of issues, identified by both the Parliament and ZWRCN, shall form the core of the programme, including, but not limited to, budget analysis, budget monitoring and expenditure tracking, macro and micro economic issues, public outreach, gender budgeting, gender mainstreaming and other related issues.
Speaking at the ceremony, Hon. Moyo said the partnership between the two organisations would benefit members of the August house and personnel, in line with Parliament’s three – year Administrative Strategic Plan and reform processes underway. He added that, the signing of the MOU would strengthen the promotion of gender and gender mainstreaming in the organization.
“We are pleased to partner with ZWRCN and we can assure you that the partnership will be fruitful and beneficial to both our organizations and the women in Zimbabwe”, said Moyo.
In her speech at the ceremony, Mrs Chimbetete said her organization was committed to placing the gender agenda among the national priorities through its partnership with Parliament.
“We recognize that Parliament plays a key role in shaping policy direction in the country and we are contributing financial resources and technical expertise to leverage parliament’s capacity to mainstream gender in its processes ”, said Chimbetete.
Speaking at the same occasion, The Clerk of Parliament, Mr Austin Zvoma, said the MOU is the culmination of a series of consultations undertaken between the Institutional and Administrative Leadership of the Parliament of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre Network (ZWRCN). Mr Zvoma emphasized the need for ZWRCN to work closely with the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus in the furtherance of Parliament’s capacity building objectives..
ZWRCN is building capacities of Government Ministries, Local Authorities, and Civil Society in gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting under its Gender, Economic Policies and Public Finance Programme.
Speaking on the sidelines of the MOU signing ceremony, Chimbetete said her organization is also implementing a Gender Budgeting and Women’s Empowerment Project in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development and the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ).
ZWRCN is an information-based organization advocating for gender equality and equity in Zimbabwe.
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