Post-2015 Development Agenda: Zimbabwe hasn’t taken off

The Real Agenda For Youth Transformation Trust is concerned deeply by the Zimbabwean government on the perpetual silence and inactivity on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The Post 2015 Development Agenda is a process led by the United Nations aiming to help define the future global development framework  that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals.  Other nations have taken a gigantic step since the onset of the launch by the United Nations.

The wake of the Post-2015 Development Agenda took the majority of the world as wave to introspect on the MDGs. Over a decade the world development process has been prescribed by the MDGs which despite having participatory flaws can never go uncelebrated. This paper rather is not concerned with the past but with the future as we are in the final months of the MDGs.   We are heavily worried by the status Zimbabwe has taken on the process of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. We acknowledge a few steps towards generating dialogue by institutions such as National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, ZUNA president and UN Zimbabwe.

The Post-2015 Development Agenda has become more of each State’s role to mobilise its citizens to take part in the agenda consultation through crowd-sourcing. Our surprise is that Zimbabwe is still dodging and acting like this process does not exists. Whether the government is not capacitated to multi-task and handle the sensitization of the Post-2015 Development Agenda or not we are worried. The Zimbabwean government has the role to initiate the launch for consultations. From this pictorial, we will have less Zimbabwean voices in the development agenda noted by the few people who added their voice on the MyWorld.org where a mere 15984 votes were counted.

Our priorities as a government becomes shrouded in oblivion as after 2015 our development focus will be guided by a plan addressing other nation`s problems. The predicament won’t suit our needs as priorities will be based on the votes on the MyWorld.org.  

The underscore of the visibility and need to make most Zimbabweans aware is critical to add Zimbabwean voices on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.  The government needs to leap forward and initiate this invaluable process for development. This initial step will even propel development agents as they exist to complement government position.

Zimbabwean voices on the Post-2015 Development Agenda should complement the nation’s literacy level and internet/mobile penetration as these are the tools simply needed to add voices. More so, there is need to use techniques to add voices of the marginalized for comprehensive participation.  We call upon His Excellence President RG Mugabe to express and show political will towards the involvement of every Zimbabwean to have at least the information and chance to add their voices to the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Tinashe Chirape (Coordinator)

Real Agenda For Youth Transformation Trust

Email: chirapetinashe@gmail.com