From Dialogue to Action: HeForShe Clubs replicate across Zimbabwe in a Youth-led Push for Gender Equality

Harare 21st of  August 2025

In a vibrant commemoration of the International Youth Day 2025, the Official Residence of the Canadian Ambassador in Zimbabwe became a beacon of hope and transformation as it hosted the HeForShe Dialogue for Youth. The event, co-organized by the University of Zimbabwe’s HeForShe Club in partnership with the Embassy of Canada and supported by UN Women, brought together students, diplomats, civil society leaders, and policymakers under the theme: Inclusive Leadership: Building a Gender - Equal Future Together. The dialogue created a space for reflection, mentorship, inspiration, and intergenerational commitment for gender equality, with a powerful message: youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow - they are leading today. 

Opening the event, the Ambassador of Canada to Zimbabwe, H.E. Adler Aristilde, who is also the Chair of the HeForShe Movement in Zimbabwe, emphasized the importance of youth in shaping a gender just and inclusive society. 

“Youths are the changemakers of today and tomorrow,” he declared. “Let us continue to empower youths so that their rights are not just written on paper - they are lived!”  - H.E. Adler Aristilde, Ambassador of Canada to Zimbabwe

Ambassador Aristilde reaffirmed Canada’s unwavering commitment to gender equality, highlighting Canada’s International Assistance Policy and its work in Zimbabwe to combat child marriage, promote reproductive health, and expand access to economic and political participation. The Ambassador celebrated the expansion of HeForShe clubs to five new universities, calling it a growing and diverse group dedicated to transforming institutions and promoting equality.

UN Women Country Representative Ms. Fatou Lo delivered a stirring address that echoed the urgency of intergenerational solidarity as a clear pathway to gender equality and inclusive leadership, recalling her own journey as a youth leader during the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Ms. Lo emphasized that gender equality is a societal imperative that requires collective action.

“In the spirit of inclusive leadership, we commit to be the shoulders that you stand on today,” she said. “HeForShe is more than a campaign. It is a global solidarity movement- a call to action for everyone, especially men and boys, to stand side by side with women and girls in the fight for equality,” - Ms. Fatou Lo, UN Women Country Representative 

Ms. Fatou Lo affirmed UN Women’s support for youth-led and youth-focused initiatives, including HeForShe youth groups and the recently approved National Youth Empowerment Strategy for Zimbabwe.

The panel discussion, moderated by Ms. Nodeshah Maingehama, featured a dynamic mix of leaders including Hon. Fortune Daniel Molokele (MP), youth activist Mr. Tapiwa Bengewa, The Founder of Fathers Against Abuse- Mr. Alois Nyamazana, and Ambassador Aristilde. Each panelist shared personal stories and insights on dismantling systemic barriers and localizing the gender agenda. Hon. Molokele, urged youth to take up leadership roles and stand for gender equality: “A gender-equal future starts today- tomorrow might be too late.” Mr. Tapiwa Bengewa reminded fellow-youths that every action has a ripple effect in another person’s life, while Mr. Alois Nyamazana challenged gender champions to take the conversation beyond formal spaces, encouraging the youth to come to the centre to ensure that no one is left behind.

Students from across institutions made personal commitments to promote equitable masculinity, support prevention and response to gender-based violence, and promote women’s leadership. The institutions include- Africa University, Midlands State University, Chinhoyi University of Technology, National University of Science and Technology and Harare Institute of Technology.  The students also shared their plans to replicate the HeForShe Movement on their campuses while the University of Zimbabwe HeForShe Club pledged to support peer to peer cross-learning during the set-up of the new clubs ensuring that the momentum generated by this dialogue continues to grow. 

Overall, the HeForShe dialogue for youth, sparked a multi-stakeholder commitment to work together for a gender equal future with youth playing a critical role as leaders of today and tomorrow. The replication of HeForShe Clubs marks a strategic milestone in the HeForShe Movement in Zimbabwe. It puts youths at the centre of action, acknowledging that their leadership and contributions are critical in fostering the Sustainable Development Agenda especially, SDG 5.  This highly resonates with The Pact for the Future, adopted at the Summit of the Future in 2024, which calls for bold commitments to intergenerational equity and meaningful youth engagement in development.