FAWEZI, with support from UNICEF, has successfully concluded two-day sensitization workshops with out-of-school adolescent girls in Chitungwiza and Chipinge under the RISE: Resilient, Innovative, Skilled & Empowered Girls (RISE) Project, aimed at preventing child marriage and strengthening access to care and protection services.

The workshops reached 100 out-of-school adolescent girls in Wards 23 and 5 in Chitungwiza and 116 girls in ward-based communities in Maparadze, Rimai and Muumbe villages in Chipinge. Designed as safe and participatory spaces, the sessions equipped adolescent girls with practical knowledge, life skills and confidence to navigate risks linked to child marriage, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence (GBV), while strengthening their awareness of available support services.

A Layered, Multi-Sectoral Approach in Practice

The activity was delivered using a layered, multi-sectoral approach that brought together district leadership and key government line ministries, including the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development, the Department of Social Development, the National AIDS Council, and the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training in Zimbabwe.

This collaboration was further strengthened through the involvement of District Development Committees, Youth Advocates Zimbabwe, Youth Aspire Development Trust and Family Support Trust, ensuring that adolescent girls were not only informed but also directly linked to community-level health, protection and social welfare systems. The approach reinforced coordination across sectors and strengthened local accountability in responding to the needs of out-of-school adolescent girls.

Responding to Adolescent Girls’ Realities

Officially closing the workshops in Chitungwiza, Acting Deputy Director for Local Government Services in Harare Metropolitan Province, Ms Cynthia Chari, highlighted the continued vulnerabilities facing adolescent girls.

“Child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and limited access to sexual and reproductive health services remain pressing challenges in our communities,” she said.

“These issues continue to undermine the rights, health, education and future potential of our adolescent girls, especially those who are out of school.”

Ms Chari commended FAWEZI, in partnership with UNICEF, for convening the engagement under the RISE Project, noting that the programme went beyond awareness-raising to equipping girls with life skills, confidence and knowledge of available protection and support services.

She also applauded the multi-sectoral collaboration, emphasizing that coordinated action is essential to creating safe, supportive and enabling environments for adolescent girls.

Strengthening Access to SRHR and Protection Services

The sensitization workshops placed strong emphasis on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), GBV prevention, personal safety and referral pathways. Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Mrs Jane Mhlanga of Chitungwiza Central Hospital emphasized the importance of accurate information and youth-friendly services.

“Many cases of teenage pregnancy can be prevented if girls are empowered with correct information about their bodies, their rights and the services available to them,” she said.

“Adolescent girls must know that health facilities provide confidential, youth-friendly services where they can seek help without fear.”

Through engaging health, protection and social welfare actors directly with adolescent girls, the workshops strengthened trust in public services and improved awareness of referral mechanisms for timely support.

Addressing Structural Inequalities Through RISE

Supported by UNICEF, the RISE Project is being implemented in Chitungwiza and Chipinge districts over a 15-month period, targeting 24,000 adolescent girls and 15,000 community members.

The programme responds to persistent gender inequalities in education and protection. In Zimbabwe, only 65.9 percent of girls complete secondary education, compared to 70 percent of boys, while girls remain significantly underrepresented in STEM subjects due to social norms, lack of role models and limited access to gender-responsive teaching.

By integrating education, health and protection interventions, RISE seeks to address the root causes of early marriage, GBV and school dropouts, while strengthening girls’ agency, leadership and participation.

Beyond the Workshops: Sustaining Impact

As the sensitization workshops conclude, the outcomes extend beyond the two days of engagement. Adolescent girls leave with increased confidence, strengthened decision-making skills, and clearer pathways to protection and care services, while communities and institutions are better connected to respond to cases of child marriage and GBV.

The RISE Project continues to demonstrate how layered, collaborative action grounded in community engagement and institutional partnership can translate commitments into sustained protection and empowerment for adolescent girls most at risk.