Zimbabwe: Driving Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment in Kwekwe City

My name is Ginnela Shumba, the Junior Mayor of Kwekwe City Council, and I am a Lower 6 student at Eagles College. This is the story of how the Junior Mayor’s Office, Junior Councilors, and Kwekwe City Council have worked together to place youth empowerment and gender equality at the heart of local development. Kwekwe has always had capable young people, but for many years their voices were overlooked. Girls and young women, in particular, faced cultural and social barriers that discouraged them from taking leadership roles or participating fully in community programs. 

 Youth lacked awareness of their civic rights and had limited platforms to express their concerns or ideas. Community participation was passive, and inequality persisted across leadership spaces. As Junior Mayor, I took responsibility not only as a title but as an opportunity to become a bridge between young people and local governance. With a passion for inclusion and a Hands-on approach, I committed myself to ensuring that every young person, girl or boy felt seen, heard and valued. Before our interventions, youth participation in Kwekwe City was minimal. 

 Most young people felt excluded from community decisions and lacked the confidence to speak publicly. Girls rarely took leadership roles due to stereotypes that placed boys at the Centre of decision making. Women and young people struggled to join civic activities, and awareness about gender equality, rights and responsibilities was very low. School programs and local community activities were often dominated by boys, making it difficult for girls to participate or feel included. Opportunities for mentorship were scarce, leaving young people with limited exposure to leadership and community service. 

Ginnela Shumba, Zimbabwe

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