UNICEF lauds Zim
By Chengetai Murimwa in Ruwangwe, Nyanga
UNICEF has commended Zimbabwe for intensifying its commitment to evidence-based national planning through the ongoing Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), describing the exercise as a critical pillar of the country’s long-term social and economic development agenda.
UNICEF Deputy Country Representative Fiachra McAsey said the survey—now in its fourth national round—is among the most authoritative tools for capturing the lived realities of children and women across Zimbabwe, providing data that directly shapes policy choices and public investments.
Implemented by the Government of Zimbabwe, MICS is reaching approximately 10,600 households through a decentralised approach that stretches from densely populated urban centres to remote, hard-to-access communities.
“We are in one part of the country today which, as you can understand, is hard to reach, it took us a while to get here,” McAsey said during a field visit to Ruwangwe, Nyanga. “But that is the strength of this survey: it can move from high-density urban areas all the way to remote rural communities, allowing us to understand comprehensively what life looks like in every corner of the country.”
He said this extensive reach ensures that the data collected presents a full, realistic picture of national development—especially the wellbeing of children and women.
“It enables the provision of quality, accurate and reliable data for policy decisions,” he said. “It helps determine where to invest, where we need deeper understanding, and highlights issues we previously didn’t have visibility on. It also helps us understand the dynamics between urban and rural areas.”
Zimbabwe has strengthened its national data architecture through a partnership with UNICEF formalised under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in April 2024 between ZIMSTAT and UNICEF. The MoU supports the implementation of the 7th global round of MICS and Zimbabwe’s 4th national cycle, following earlier successful surveys in 2009, 2014 and 2019.
ZIMSTAT is leading the survey rollout and has committed resources including vehicles, personnel and technical expertise required for nationwide fieldwork. The Government has provided US$480,000 towards the revised US$2.3 million MICS budget, complementing UNICEF’s US$1.2 million contribution and an additional US$250,000 from other UN agencies. The outstanding US$230,000 needed for data analysis, report writing and dissemination is also expected to be mobilised by the Government.
Conducted every five years since 2009, MICS allows Zimbabwe to track progress across key sectors such as health, education, nutrition, WASH, social protection and child protection. McAsey said this long-term tracking is essential for understanding trends over time and assessing the effectiveness of public policies and development interventions.
He added that the survey will play a critical role in measuring Zimbabwe’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under Agenda 2030, ensuring alignment between national priorities and global development standards.
Government’s investment in MICS is closely tied to the National Development Strategy (NDS2), which underscores the importance of robust data systems for evidence-based planning and inclusive development.
NDS2 specifically calls for timely, reliable and disaggregated data—including district, ward, sex, age and disability breakdowns—to help policymakers channel resources to areas with the greatest need. Strengthening national data systems is also highlighted as a key enabler of Vision 2030, which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy.
Through consistent investment in MICS and enhanced cooperation with development partners, the Government is reinforcing its commitment to ensuring that national decisions are grounded in credible data and that no one is left behind in the country’s development trajectory.
Preliminary MICS findings are expected in April 2026, with the full national report set for release by June 2026.
