Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education institutes (HTEIs) are key in HIV/AIDS and GBV prevention amongst young adults, but health services are limited and inadequate. Continuing the successful partnership with UNESCO, Phase 2 of the O3+ project will expand support to all 52 HTEIs to promote safer campuses and to institutionalize student health and wellbeing to improve sexual and reproductive and mental health of students.
| Country/region | Topic | Period | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Zimbabwe |
Health Gender Equality Education nothemedefined
Reproductive health & rights
Sexual & gender-based violence Tertiary education |
01.01.2026
- 31.12.2029 |
CHF 3’770’000
|
- Student health and well-being principles are embedded into HTEIs leadership performance frameworks, accreditation systems and institutional governance structures;
- Campus health systems deliver youth friendly, integrated SRHR, mental-health and GBV care;
- Safe and inclusive campuses foster a culture of zero tolerance for GBV;
- Digital systems drive evidence-based data use across HTEIs and inform national and regional policy reforms
- 80% of all HTEIs endorse the national framework on health-promoting campuses
- 80% of all HTEIs integrate a course on life skills-based health education
- 157’000 students reached with information and services on SRHR, mental health, drug and substance abuse and GBV
- # of HTEIs maintaining functional linkages with an operational one-stop GBV service centre (TBD)
- 108 research pieces, knowledge and advocacy products developed
- 250’000 students reached through integration of life skills-based health education in 45 Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions.
- Access to services strengthened by up-grading 24 health facilities, training 900 healthcare providers and 8’000 peer educators in youth-friendly service delivery.
- Mobile app launched for easy access to health information and services.
- 68’000 students were reached with HIV testing.
- Over 6’400‘000 young people and community members sensitized on GBV and sexual harassment and corresponding reporting mechanisms and policies.
- Foreign private sector South/East
- Schweizerische UNESCO-Kommiss
-
Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation POPULATION POLICIES/PROGRAMMES & REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
GOVERNMENT AND CIVIL SOCIETY
EDUCATION
Sub-Sector according to the OECD Developement Assistance Commitiee categorisation Reproductive health care
Ending violence against women and girls
Higher education
Cross-cutting topics The project also supports partner organisation improvements
Aid Type Mandate without fiduciary fund
Project and programme contribution
Project number 7F10603
| Background | Despite significant strides made in the past two decades, Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS preva-lence rate remains high at 11.6%, with young females affected 6 times more than males. Gender inequalities also contributed to an increase in the national teenage pregnancy rate, from 9% in 2016 to 22% in 2023. 1 in 3 women have experienced gender based or sexual violence from the age of 15 years. Zimbabwe’s Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions (HTEIs) enroll over 153’000 students across 52 public institutions and play a pivotal role in preventing HIV/AIDS, GBV and unintended pregnancies amongst young adults. Yet there is limited provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, GBV, and inadequate mental health support. |
| Objectives | Strengthen Zimbabwe’s health system by institutionalizing comprehensive, gender-responsive and youth-friendly health and well-being services across all public higher and tertiary education institutes. |
| Target groups | 153’000 students enrolled across Zimbabwe’s Higher and Tertiary Educations Institutes Management and staff of all 52 HTEIS National councils for higher and tertiary education (ZIMCHE and TESC) |
| Medium-term outcomes |
|
| Results |
Expected results: Results from previous phases: |
| Directorate/federal office responsible |
SDC |
| Project partners |
Contract partner Private sector United Nations Organization (UNO) |
| Coordination with other projects and actors | SAGE (Oxfam, Adult Rape Clinic, Musasa, UNW, UNFPA); SYP (UNFPA) |
| Budget | Current phase Swiss budget CHF 3’770’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF 0 Budget inclusive project partner CHF 8’805’530 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF 7’426’002 Budget inclusive project partner CHF 11’425’500 |
| Project phases | Phase 2 01.01.2026 - 31.12.2029 (Current phase) Phase 1 01.10.2020 - 31.12.2025 (Completed) |
