Young women in Bindura are transforming healthcare governance through bold advocacy and hands-on engagement with leaders. They started by mobilizing peers and raising awareness about gaps in local health services, then held open dialogues with councillors, clinic staff, and municipal authorities to tackle challenges such as underfunding, poor service delivery, and the absence of gender-sensitive budgets. By requesting access to health budgets, and tracking resource use, they established new accountability mechanisms. Participating in community forums and workshops boosted their knowledge and confidence, enabling them to engage decision-makers effectively. This combined approach has led to real changes in clinics and municipal planning, showing how persistent, collective action can make healthcare more inclusive, fair, and responsive to the needs of women and girls.

For years, decision-making around healthcare was confined to offices and meeting rooms where community voices, especially those of young women, were absent. Determined to change this, young women have been organizing, mobilizing, and holding duty bearers accountable for the quality and fairness of healthcare services. Their message is powerful and direct: health governance is not just the work of officials but a shared community responsibility.

On June 24th, young women from Ward 12 engaged directly with their councillor, Edward Nyekete. This was a defining moment in their advocacy journey. The councillor welcomed the conversation and praised their courage in raising critical issues that affect their daily lives. He shared insights into key challenges such as lack of proper documentation, underfunding of hospitals, and the absence of gender-sensitive budgets, stressing the urgent need for inclusive planning. When the young women requested access to the local health budget, Councillor Nyekete promised to provide it. For them, this was a breakthrough and a first step into governance spaces that had long excluded their voices.

Motivated by this success, the young women took their advocacy to the local clinics. At Muonwe Clinic, one young woman approached the nurse in charge with questions about budget allocations and resource use. She received information and was encouraged to continue following up, proving that persistence and community oversight can yield results. At Chipadze Clinic, another group of young women held a productive dialogue with the sister in charge, who acknowledged their concerns and suggested that they submit them in writing through a formal petition, creating an opportunity for deeper collaboration with health service providers.

In Manhenga, the shift was even more inspiring. After participating in a Community Dariro and duty bearer engagement meeting, young women independently visited their local council clinic. Without being prompted, they raised concerns about poor service delivery and started direct conversations with healthcare workers. This spontaneous action demonstrated that young women are not just participating but leading the way in shaping healthcare systems.

These efforts reflect more than individual acts of advocacy, they represent a growing movement of informed, confident young women transforming how health governance works in Bindura. They are turning frustration into dialogue, and dialogue into public demands for change. Their actions align with broader goals such as Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), which emphasize inclusive and equitable health systems.

“When we speak up, we are not just asking for better healthcare, we are demanding our rightful place in shaping the systems that serve us,” said one of the young women from Ward 12.

This is not just advocacy; it is a powerful shift in civic engagement. From sitting with councillors to walking into clinics with confidence, young women in Bindura are setting a new standard for health governance, one conversation, one petition, and one bold step at a time. This collective effort reflects IYWD’s strategic pillar of organising and raising political consciousness among young women, equipping them with the tools to challenge systems and imagine a more inclusive future.