Chronicle Editor
Andile Tshuma
The critical need for engaging women in leadership can never be over emphasised.
African women are integral to the continent’s growth as members of the workforce, both formal and informal, as entrepreneurs and consumers.
However, they don’t get the credit or the income they deserve for their contributions.
This week, the launch of the Zimbabwe Chapter of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) under the theme “Peace and social cohesion for Zimbabwe’s sustainable development,” brought excitement with a feeling of hope and renewed courage in the world of women leadership.
The launch of the Zimbabwean chapter of this UN Women initiative, led by Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni as the inaugural chair, is part of efforts of breaking the glass ceiling that hinders women from achieving their full potential.
Women make 52 percent of Zimbabwe’s population and are a force for socio-cultural, political and economic development of our country.
There is nothing that limits women from occupying any position in any sector of the economy save for structures and systems that sustain patriarchy and hinder women from accessing those spaces that have been previously reserved for men.
Such a platform equips women with opportunities to build each other and position themselves for greater leadership.
Such a platform is noble for both existing and emerging women leaders across the continent of Africa to share their experiences and create partnerships across the continent in order to work towards Africa Agenda 2063 and Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
President Mnangagwa, while launching AWLN on the sidelines of the Sixth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development on Wednesday challenged women to take up leadership positions in the development agenda as they are the beacon of morality and integrity.
This is exciting news as it shows that Government is committed to creating an enabling environment for meaningful participation towards sustainable development and towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Zimbabwe became the 14th African country and first in the Sadc region to launch the AWLN chapter following its inauguration in 2017, with the aim of bringing together African leaders from various sectors including government, business, civil society and academia for the enhancement of women’s leadership towards the realisation of Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Zimbabwe, trailblazing, has led the Southern African community and such a network is much needed across Sadc as it will further offer opportunities for women leaders to create a regional platform for coordinated efforts for the development of the countries as well as embrace the leadership of African women in bringing transformative changes focusing on peace, security and development on the continent.
During the launch, the President said the network awards women in the country a platform to exchange experiences and expertise with their sisters on the continent to help inform our national development discourse and called for all women in leadership to use it as an important pathway to accelerate the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life of every Zimbabwean in line with Vision 2030 as well as Agenda 2030.
Women, in their multiple roles as mothers, sisters, workmates, leaders, and daughters, are the beacon of morality, integrity, hard work, resilience and virtuous living.
The network must not only be for the urbanites, it should not end in the offices as just talk, but must also reach out and empower rural women who are the backbone of productivity in communal living. Besides empowering rural women, this network should mentor young women so as to achieve continuity in the quality of women leaders across generations and must work towards achieving gender equality as well as inclusion and involvement of women in all sectors so that no one is left behind in building the African dream.
Women must use this network to ensure the realisation of Section 80 of the Zimbabwean Constitution which emphasises women’s right to equal opportunities as women engagement and leadership are indispensable ingredients to peace, stability and sustainable development.
Having women in leadership spaces is necessary now more than ever to prevent and mediate conflict, to build sustainable and lasting peace and for women to be agents of economic and financial change and as guardians and leaders of a corruption free society.
However, it should be noted that such can only be achieved if AWLN is geared for action and is not another well sounding organisation without a clear mandate to bring about change. They must go into the communities, engage with the affected and the down trodden, and bring about the change and the development that is much needed.
Online Reporter