‘Women need support to live empowered, healthy liv...

‘Women need support to live empowered, healthy lives’

Munyaradzi Blessing Doma- Zim Now Reporter

Women and girls need the necessary support in order to live empowered and healthy lives for them to reach their full potential, a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service Commissioner has said.

Commissioner Protocol, International Relations and Gender Services, Sikhulekile Ndlovu, added that equality was not merely about numbers, but is about equity of impact.

Commissioner Ndlovu revealed this last Friday during the Women and Girls Health and Wellness Activity, at the Harare Central Prison Officers Mess.

The event was held for the belated commemoration of International Women’s Day which Commissioner Ndlovu said is a global moment that honours the strength, resilience, and achievements of women across generations and geographies.

She added that though the day (International Women’s Day) had passed, the “meaning endures — and today, we celebrate it through action, conversation, and community.”

Commissioner Ndlovu said: “equality is not merely about numbers, but it is about equity of impact.

“It means ensuring that every woman, regardless of where she comes from or where she stands today, has access to the support, the information, and the tools she needs to live a full, empowered, and healthy life.

“We do not stand here as individuals, but as a collective — mothers, daughters, sisters, colleagues, and friends — united by a shared vision: to promote health, wellness, and empowerment among women and girls, not only within correctional spaces but in our society at large.”

She also paid tribute ZPCS’s Commissioner General Moses Chihobvu, for the guidance and vision for such wellness initiatives.

“We also salute the dedicated health professionals within our Service, whose tireless work in blending healthcare with rehabilitation continues to bear fruit.

“It is from such visionary and committed officers — including those here today — that the very concept of this event was inspired.

“Your efforts remind us that true correction is not just about confinement, but about healing, transformation, and dignity.

“To our correctional officers and their spouses, women from surrounding communities, and all who made time to join us — your presence here today adds power and purpose to this initiative.

“As we open this special day, let us remind ourselves: a healthy woman builds a healthy home, and a confident girl transforms her world.

“Together, we are laying the foundation for both.

“Let’s make this day rich in meaning, full of connection, and grounded in our shared commitment to women’s wellness and dignity,” added Commissioner Ndlovu.

The health and wellness event was attended by Phakamani/Simukai Women’s Network members, female inmates from Chikurubi Female Prison, correctional officers and community members.