The Sexual Rights Centre (SRC) exists to advance and promote the access, voice, agency, and empowerment of marginalised, vulnerable, and key population communities in Zimbabwe to realise quality, comprehensive and affirming sexual and reproductive health and rights. We hope to contribute to larger shifts in discourse, policy, and practice: towards a Zimbabwe in which the sexual reproductive health and rights of all people are respected, upheld, and protected. 

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The organization holds the view that sustainable change is contextual, and largely informed by prevailing conditions on the ground. To this effect, SRC believes in transformative change and as inspired by Rao and Kelleher’s integral transformative change and empowerment model which emphasizes the relative importance of formal and informal power and structures in different contexts, and the relationships between them. Highlighting empowerment as a transformative process, this necessitates change to the structures and institutions within which these capabilities exist and operate. To achieve meaningful and lasting change, we believe first in harnessing individual and collective self-determination, voice, agency, and empowerment of marginalised, vulnerable, and key populations. We believe it is when they are empowered, they are capable of challenging and redressing the deep-rooted inequalities and inequities that predispose them to multiple vulnerabilities. SRC acknowledges that it is when the systemic and structural barriers such as stigma and discrimination are redressed that primary stakeholders or Rights Holders can expand their choices and opportunities for greater access to improved and inclusive service delivery and also be better placed to influence policy and practice change, harmonisation, and full implementation as well as decisions that affect their lives and futures. To achieve lasting impact, in all the above outcomes, the SRC is cognisant of the need to invest in organizational capacity strengthening, sustainability and management of change. To this end, the SRC’s theory of change employs a rights-based, participatory, and robust approach that contributes towards transformative change at four quadrants-the individual, collective, organizational, and systemic change.

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Such a holistic approach to change, acknowledges that change in one sphere influences and ought to complement change in other spheres, and ultimately contribute towards sustainable changes in the lives of marginalised, vulnerable and key populations. The four quadrants though distinct are mutually reinforcing. SRC believes that this theory of change is accompanied by a theory of action premised on actions to fulfil the organisation’s strategic objectives. It is our strong view that there are different pathways of change which are non-linear but rather iterative and mutual to allow for adaptations and continuous monitoring. The Sexual Rights Centre will work in partnerships and collaboration primarily with like-minded CSOs and social movements, to implement all its programme focus areas. 

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Primary Stakeholders 

Primary stakeholders are the groups in whose interest SRC works. The primary stakeholders include Lesbian and Bisexual women, Gay and Bisexual men, Transgender persons, Intersex persons, Adolescents and young persons, people who use drugs, people living with disabilities, young people in tertiary education institutions, and collectives and organisations of these groups. All these groups tend to be marginalised within Zimbabwean society, and with limited protection by the law hence vulnerable to violence and prone to being denied rights and services. 

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Secondary Stakeholders 

These are groups whose practice we seek to influence – and through them shift the practice of the institutions they represent or work within. We also hope to build strong allies within this group, thus expanding a wider movement for change and a basis for broad-based advocacy. 

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The secondary stakeholders therefore include: health practitioners and institutions; law enforcement officers and institutions; tertiary education institutions; religious leaders and institutions; the media; policy makers and other civil society organizations. 

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Operational Areas 

SRC’s operational areas are Bulawayo, Umzingwane, Lupane, Gweru, Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Gwanda, Mangwe, Hwange, Victoria Falls and Umguza. These areas are shown in the map below (adapted from Google Maps), which can also be viewed here.