ActionAid Zimbabwe in partnership with Pamumvuri hosted a stakeholder’s breakfast meeting in Harare to discuss the Zimbabwe Multisectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Action Plan 2024-2030 and launch the feminist community led research led by ActionAid.
The event, titled “Unpacking,” also saw the launch of a feminist community-led research initiative by ActionAid Zimbabwe.
In an interview with 263chat, Jacob Shamhuyarira founder of Pamumvuri highlighted the collaborative nature of the event.
“We were doing a provincial dissemination of research that was done by adolescents supported by ActionAid. We’re disseminating the findings to the province and adapting the recently launched National Track and Substance Abuse Plan, just launched on the 26th by the President,” Shamhuyarira said.
He highlighted the importance of provincial collaboration in tackling substance abuse.
“We wanted to see exactly how we can come together within the province to address the issue of drug and substance abuse. We are delighted that the Minister of State was here, the City of Harare was represented by the Acting Mayor, and we also had other local authorities present,” he said
From the deliberations, actionable items emerged, such as the need for recreational facilities, which Shamhuyarira identified as a “low-hanging fruit” that would engage both local and central governments.
The meeting also focused on engaging the private sector to support employment creation and procurement opportunities to enhance livelihood opportunities for young people.
“The outcomes of our meeting today are very encouraging. We have a clear path and we will be hitting the ground running to address some of these issues,” Shamhuyarira said
Guest of Honour, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Harare Metropolitan Province, Charles Tavengwa stressed the alignment of the research with national goals.
“The Zimbabwe National Drug Master Plan 2020-2025 provides a roadmap for addressing cross-cutting issues around drug and substance abuse. The plan envisions a multi-pronged approach focusing on supply, demand, and harm reduction as well as control of lawful substances based on International Drug Control Conventions.”
Tavengwa added, “The plan’s primary focus is to strengthen the nation’s capacity to prevent, treat, and rehabilitate individuals affected by drug and substance abuse while simultaneously addressing the broader societal implications of this pervasive issue. The approach is grounded in scientific evidence and international standards.”
