Online Reporter
Columbus Mabika-Herald Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces is prioritising women’s empowerment through funding projects, expanding maternal healthcare services, providing decent accommodation and increasing women’s participation in decision-making positions.
This was said by the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Women Association (ZDFWA), Mrs Sithandekile Matatu, wife of Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Emmanuel Matatu, yesterday during the handover of a 20-room accommodation block for women soldiers at 1 Air Defence Regiment near Kwekwe.
The ZDFWA is an association for all women within the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and operates under the theme: “We Nurture, We Rise, We Defend.”
The block was fully funded and furnished by the ZDFWA Zimbabwe National Army chapter, which is chaired by Mrs Jessica Tapfumaneyi, wife of Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant General Asher Walter Tapfumaneyi.
Mrs Matatu said women’s inclusion was a key component of national development and should not be overlooked.
“Inclusivity must, therefore, go beyond membership. It must be reflected in our interactions, our support for one another and our willingness to respond collectively to challenges affecting our women,” she said.
“We nurture by caring for one another and creating environments where women can live and serve with dignity. We rise by empowering ourselves economically, socially and professionally, and by turning challenges into opportunities. We defend not only our nation, but also the dignity, welfare and well-being of those who serve it.”
Alongside the accommodation block, Mrs Matatu also handed over 600 poultry chicks, adequate feed and vaccines to women soldiers at the regiment as part of an income-generating project, which she said would promote self-reliance.
“As an association, we have availed these chicks to enable women soldiers to run a poultry project. This is important because the ZDFWA is not only concerned with the immediate welfare of women, but also with creating opportunities that contribute to their economic empowerment and self-reliance,” she said.
“The intention is not simply to rear chickens. The intention is to build an enterprise. There is a saying that fortune knocks at a person’s door only once. When that opportunity comes, it is important to recognise it and open the door. Today, an opportunity has been placed before the women of 1 Air Defence Regiment.”
Commanding officer of the unit, Lieutenant Colonel Cliff Mugari, said that in line with the National Gender Policy and the Zimbabwe National Army’s gender-neutral recruitment policy, the number of female soldiers had increased significantly over the years, making the project both timely and important.
“In line with the National Gender Policy and the Zimbabwe National Army’s gender-neutral recruitment policy, the number of female soldiers has increased over the years.
“The unit has also received a growing number of female soldiers. Limited infrastructure capacity has, however, posed challenges to their living conditions,” he said.
He said that, unlike in previous years, the willingness of young women to serve in the defence forces had increased markedly.
“To us, this is more than just walls made of bricks and mortar. It is a significant investment in improving the welfare and dignity of female soldiers. These women have committed themselves to serving their country as soldiers and therefore, deserve the best,” he said.
An air defence regiment is an elite military unit responsible for protecting ground forces, critical infrastructure and national territory from aerial threats such as aircraft, helicopters, drones and missiles.
