strives to ensure universal access by both men and women to media and ICTs. Zimbabwe has developed gender sensitive ICT and Media policies that are buttressed by the provisions in the Constitution which provides for media freedom. Engendering media and ICTs planning is a critical commitment as revealed in the international, regional and national frameworks on ICTs. The SADC Protocol on Gender and Development Article 31 encourages State parties to put in place gender sensitive ICT policies and laws in order to ensure women’s and girl’s access to information and communication technology. The protocol also aims to promote equal representation of men and women in ownership and in decision making structures of media, in accordance with Article 12.1 that provides for equal representation of women in decision making positions by 2015. Despite efforts to engender policies and ensure universal access and equity in ownership and decision making in media and ICTs, gender parity is yet to be attained. Statistics from Gender Links 2010 Southern African Gender and Media Progress Study (GMPS) and the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (2011) reveal that:  The proportion of women sources of news is 11%  Media coverage on issues related to gender is only 0.4% of content and women politician’s voices in media comprised a mere 5%.  There are more women radio reporters (24%) and fewer print reporters (11%) when compared to regional figures of 30% and 25% respectively.  Male journalists get better working deals - 82% are more likely than women (18%) to be employed in full-time with open-ended contracts.  Only 17% females work in editorial departments, well below the regional average of 42% and 11% of newsrooms are manned by women managers.  Media exposure remains low in Zimbabwe with only 8% of females and 17% of males having access to media, such as newspapers, television and radio.  Whilst women population is 70% of the total rural population, internet access is a mere 0.07%. This shows the level of access to internet for women in rural areas. This is despite the increase in internet penetration rate from 15% in 2011 to 20% in 2012 according to POTRAZ. Language barriers, sexual harassment, patriarchy, cultural norms, and lack of income, education and poverty among women prevent women from positively and optimally utilising media and ICT as a development tool. (viii) Gender, Environment and Climate Change: Climate change as a development subject matter is critical for Zimbabwe where 70% of the population are small holder farmers and rely on agriculture for livelihoods. The economy is agro based, hence subject to climate change risks. The largest group of people in farming activities are women (86%). Developing countries like Zimbabwe are increasingly becoming vulnerable to climate change and environmental 9