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From 2019 to 2020, the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa collaborated with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to support the National Disability Board (NDB) to articulate its Strategic Plan. An Act of Parliament, the Disabled Persons Act, institutes the NDB. The Board consists of 17 members, 10 of them nominated by organizations of persons with disabilities themselves. It also includes members from the various Ministries involved in disability issues. The main functions of the Board are, among other things, raising awareness, formulating policies and coming up with initiatives that ensure promotion, protection and fulfilment of the rights of persons with disabilities. 

One of the major milestones of this partnership with was the development of a costed Strategic Plan for 2020-2022, that also includes a Resource Mobilization and Partnership Building strategy. This Strategic Plan also dedicates special attention to the issue of intersectional stigma and discrimination that affect girls and women with disabilities. Gender-Based Violence, Harmful Practices and lack of access to Sexual, and Reproductive Health and Rights are major challenges that the Board has identified as priorities to be addressed. 

To increase public awareness on the national frameworks and bodies that exist to represent persons with disabilities in the country, the Board members have produced a , with the support of the Spotlight Initiative. 

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, UNESCO also conducted a that showed compounded challenges of women and girls with disabilities due to the induced lockdowns which subjected them to victims of gender based violence as they could no longer fend for themselves. Most of them live on hand-to-mouth through vending and begging in public places, which were restricted as a measure to combat the spread of the deadly virus. The lockdown measures affected them drastically as their income depleted leaving them more vulnerable to potential GBV perpetrators who took advantage of their helplessness. Despite government efforts to provide social safety nets in form of cash transfers and food relief, the response was not adequately inclusive and comprehensive. Hence, reports of cases of gender based violence significantly increased due to a plathero of known and unknown reasons. And yet, the Assessment showed that persons with disabilities have not been represented in the COVID-19 Response mechanisms at the local and national levels. 

In 2021 and 2022, UNESCO will continue to support the National Disability Board to implement its Strategic Plan Priorities, including in the framework of the finalisation of the National Disability Bill. UNESCO will also advise the Government on including the specific concerns of persons with disabilities in the COVID-19 Response and Recovery.