10.2 Gender Equality And Women’s Rights Thematic Working Group Having completed processes towards the operationalization of the Gender Equality and Women’s Rights TWG, 2016 saw the TWG embarking on activities to strengthen and promote the visibility of the TWG. In February 2016, it conducted its planning meeting with the TWG members. They came up with the Work Plan for the year detailing activities to be conducted during the course of the year. Inter alia, some activities planned for were trainings on communications strategy, rights based approach, commemorations for International women’s Day (IWD) and 16 days of activism, campaign against child marriages, development of a conceptual paper on gender and engagement of stakeholders in the Sexual reproductive and health rights sector. However due to limited funding the TWG was only able to undertake the activities detailed below. In March 2016, the TWG was invited and attended the national commemorations of the IWD, held in Rukweza, Manicaland and similar commemorations hosted by the Netherlands Embassy. In addition the TWG Chairperson was invited as a guest speaker at the belated commemorations for the IWD held at Great Zimbabwe University in Mashava, Masvingo under the Global theme for 2016 which was: “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality”, and the National theme: “Taking the international Women’s Day to the people”. During the course of the year, the TWG was invited to participate in workshops discussing gender and women’s rights issues some of which are as follows; • A Parliamentary public hearing into the high prevalence of child marriages in Mashonaland Central • Women Regional Indaba for the purpose 38 of facilitating dialogue between rural women and social service providers, policy makers and women’s rights advocacy with a view to advance gender sensitive social accountability. • Stakeholder Policy Brief by UNWomen and FEMPRIST on the Gendered Assessment of the Conditions of Women and Children in Prison. • Sensitization on UN Resolution 1325 meeting by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development and UNWomen to enhance key stakeholders’ understanding of Resolution 1325 and the utility of a National Action Plan, craft a framework to guide the development of the Zimbabwe National Action Plan on Resolution 1325. • Panel discussion on women and reconciliation in Zimbabwe organized by National Transitional Justice Working Group held to discuss issues of women, peace and reconciliation with recommendations being advanced for the improvement of Peace and Reconciliation in Zimbabwe, one of which was speeding up the operationalization of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and legislation enabling the NPRC to commence its mandate. The TWG also commemorated the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based violence whose theme was ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Make Education safe for all’ by publishing a press statement in the Herald edition of 10 December 2016. The TWG also developed and printed two thousand five hundred (2,500) brochures to publicize the Commission and the TWG with the following key areas: the mandate and work of ZHRC, definition of thematic working group, profile of the TWG, definition of gender, women’s rights and functions of the Thematic Working Group. Protecting, Promoting and Enforcing Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms