Zimbabwe:Sustainable Development Goals 1,3 and 5 Faces Tight Battle Versus Covid-19

By Nevson Mpofu

Three [3] Sustainable Development Goals , SDGs Goal 1 on No Poverty , 3 on Zero Hunger and 5 on Gender Equality face a tight rope pass through to succession by the year 2030 . The three[3] are hanging in doubt to bring sustainability due to several factors related to lock-down , covid-19 restrictios and other factors to note .

Taking a snap-shot on the effects to the Informal Traders , Women Bureau Programmes Manager  Memory Muchenga said the up-surge of corona-virus known as covid-19 is a threat to the In-Formal Traders Sector  of which its people , families and the business on the ground has gone down in terms of in-come generation , productivity and total output from families .

” Sustainable Development Goals on No poverty , goal 1 , Zero Hunger Goal 3 and Gender Equality Goal 5 are  difficult to win a country reduce extreme poverty , hunger and bring gender equality in a World of equal society at par-level in terms of gender-balance .

”The target is under the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations of which these are far away from winning because of several issues at hand .

”There are a number of challenges faced already of which we have no control over. These have reduced the effort on the ground of Informal traders who make the country generate income for its economic growth . Therefore at the same time the economic and social welbeing of women is affected ”.

”The up-surge of covid-19 has come with a threat to the liveli-hoods of many people in the country who many of them are  in the In-Formal Sector . Most of these are cross-boarder traders who fend for their families through  several means of tactical survival .

Zimbabwe Women Bureau notes with concern that  many families have been thrown into poverty . This it notes further makes it difficult to win on Goal number 1 one on No Poverty . Secondly , the fact that restrictions were put in place after 21 days of lock-down makes it as well difficult to eradicate hunger . This is Zero Hunger . The last one is Goal 5 on Gender Equality which is still not to be won after many families , marriages split because of conflicts .

Prisca Mudondo Zimbabwe Women Bureau Board Memmber pointed out that several forms of poverty have come to surface since the start of covid-19 . She adds that because of  restrictions that were put in place after 21 days lock-down , many families were exposed to extreme poverty , absolute and in-come poverty .

”Families were exposed to all forms of poverty , worse still to in-come poverty . This was due to restrictions put in place after 21 days of lock-down . This extended to hunger in families as income depreciated . Due to confinement at home  ,many divorces took place .Divorces occured and familuies split .”

It is now a doubt to see Zimbabwe winning on Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations after the effects of the corona-virus . Besides , survey on ground puts it straight that drought has contributed more , perhaps more than the virus itself . This has as well forced women to force crossing boardesrs at their expense .  Overall from country , Regional to Global level , it is a disturbing force to Agenda 2030 of the United Nations and Agenda 2063  of the African Union.