The Government of Zimbabwe, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) has officially declared an end to a protracted cholera outbreak that began on 12 February 2023. The declaration was made in line with Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC) guidelines following zero reports of cholera cases in Zimbabwe for more than four consecutive weeks.

The Ministry of Health and Child Care wishes to notify WHO that the cholera outbreak, which was first reported on 12 February 2023 in Chegutu District is now declared over after a protracted 18 months of response,” noted MoHCC the Permanent Secretary Dr Aspect Maunganidze in a letter to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Zimbabwe.

The cholera outbreak was reported in all the country’s 10 provinces, with 62 districts affected. Through implementation of multi-faceted interventions, the outbreak has now been contained. The last case of cholera was reported on 30 June 2024 and the country had recorded 34 549 suspected cholera cases, 4 217 confirmed cases and 33 831 recoveries. Cumulative deaths reported were 718 with 87 being laboratory confirmed and 631 suspected deaths. The Case fatality Rate was 2.1%.

WHO played a critical role in supporting Zimbabwe’s response to the cholera outbreak. Essential medical supplies worth close to $1 million were procured and handed over to MoHCC to scale up response activities. In addition, cholera treatment centres and units were also put in place and 4,083 health workers trained in case management, water quality testing, laboratory testing, infection, prevention and control (IPC) within CTCs as well as in surveillance.  WHO was also responsible for partner coordination to avoid duplication of efforts and promote optimal use of resources.

WHO also supported risk communication and community engagement activities to raise awareness about cholera prevention and treatment. Furthermore, WHO provided support for the two rounds of the oral cholera vaccines (OCV) vaccination campaigns, where over 2.4 million doses of OCV were administered. WHO also provided technical expertise, and personnel to bolster the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to the epidemic. WHO Regional Office for Africa and Headquarters deployed 14 surge experts to support the response while 12 WHO Zimbabwe staff were repurposed to reinforce the cholera response.

While we celebrate this significant milestone, it is crucial to acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead,” said Dr Desta Tiruneh, WHO Representative to Zimbabwe. He added, “Strengthening our health systems and investing in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure are essential to prevent future outbreaks. We must build on the lessons learned from this experience to create a more resilient health system.”

Funding for the overall cholera response came from various donors including the Contigency Funds for Emergencies (CFE), the Health Resilience Fund, (a pool of funding from European Union, GAVI, The Vaccine Alliance, as well as the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, the Russian Federation as well as USAID. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organzation (WHO) – Zimbabwe.

Recognizing the potential of the media to contribute to the advancement of women, UN Women in collaboration with Gender and Media Connect (GMC) and the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) convened a media workshop in Harare on July 30,  2024.

The workshop convened in preparation for the Beijing Declaration+30 in 2025, as an effort to re-engage the media,  was attended by 65 journalists with over ¾ female journalists from various media houses in Zimbabwe. The media significantly contributes to promoting gender equality and empowering women, particularly through shaping the gender discourse and dismantling gender stereotypes in reporting.

Media practitioners representing print, digital and online media engaged in interactive sessions at the workshop, exchanging strategic ideas and best practices in reporting on gender issues and promoting women’s voices in the media. The workshop also aimed to assess the media’s progress in gender-sensitive reporting, and to equip journalists with the resources and knowledge needed to challenge stereotypes and biases and ensure fair and comprehensive news coverage.

Sefalani Tsiko, a journalist of senior standing at The Herald, a prominent Zimbabwean newspaper, expressed appreciation for the training that refreshed his understanding of new and emerging topics in gender-sensitive reporting and the utilization of AI to empower women and girls.

Fatima Bulla, a Senior Reporter for Sunday Mail, also emphasized and recognized the continual efforts of UN Women to involve and raise awareness among the media about gender-responsive reporting on all media platforms. She also highlighted UN Women’s initiatives to evaluate media coverage since the adoption and endorsement of the Beijing Platform of Action and other legal frameworks supporting gender equality.

UN Women collaborates with the media to promote gender equality and ensure equitable representation of women in media. Before the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections, media professionals received training on reporting women’s participation in politics and elections, leadership, and decision-making in a balanced manner, aiming to improve inclusivity in election coverage. 

During the workshop, Ms Tinashe Sande, UN Women Zimbabwe’s Gender Mainstreaming and Coordination Specialist emphasised the vital role of the media in advancing advocacy for gender equality and the empowerment of women in Zimbabwe.

“The low representation of women in politics, decision making and leadership perpetuates gender inequalities and biases. UN Women continues to recognise the potential the media has in changing the status quo, therefore continues to engage the media in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment”, she said.

This media workshop followed the earlier training, assessing the progress or regression and exploring ways to effectively move forward. It also operated as a forum for journalists to share knowledge and exchange best practices. UN Women leveraged on this gathering to connect and establish relations with different media organizations in Zimbabwe as a way to foster a long-lasting partnership with the media, especially in raising awareness, and advocacy to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women in Zimbabwe.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women – Africa.

An independent human rights expert today strongly condemned the 2 August suicide attack at Lido Beach in the Somalian capital of Mogadishu that killed 37 civilians and injured over 210, including many young people.

“This attack is unacceptable, and more so because the deliberate targeting of civilians is contrary to humanitarian principles and constitutes a serious breach of international law that protects civilians in times of armed conflict,” said Isha Dyfan, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia.

“The perpetrators of this attack must be identified quickly and brought to justice,” Dyfan said.

She expressed her solidarity with the people and authorities of the Federal Republic of Somalia in their quest for peace and stability. The expert extended her sincere condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

UNSMIL monitors with concern the recent mobilization of forces in various parts of Libya, particularly in the southern and western regions. We commend ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation and prevent further tension.

UNSMIL urges all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any provocative military actions that could be perceived as offensive and might jeopardize Libya’s fragile stability and the safety of its people. The Mission calls for continued communication and coordination between forces affiliated to the LNA and GNU.

The Mission regrets that these developments coincide with the 84th anniversary of the foundation of Libya’s army and recalls the current division of this vital institution.

On this occasion, the Mission reminds all military and security actors of the importance of a unified, accountable, and professional military and security institutions. The Mission stands ready to facilitate dialogue towards that end and provide all technical expertise and support.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL).