dyton mupawaenda
Mutsawashe Mashandure-Herald Correspondent
This year’s International Day of Rural Women commemorations will be dedicated by Government to rural women who immensely contribute to agriculture, food and national security, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said yesterday.
International Day of Rural Women was set aside in 1975 by the United Nations to give official recognition to women’s voices.
Speaking in Harare yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said this year’s national launch would be held in Chief Tsovani’s area in Chiredzi, after which the commemorations will be done in all provinces.
“On the day that recognises the role women play in rural areas who work long hours, it is therefore important to celebrate our women’s hard work, resilience, and achievement,” she said.
“The day will run under the theme “rural food cultivation for all”. Rural women work for 16 to 18 hours a day and spend at least 49 percent of their time on agricultural activities and about 25 percent on domestic activities.”
The centre hosting the national commemoration is a project site for Muteo Value Addition Cooperative, run by 35 women, and the purpose is to showcase their role in the food system.
“The women are producing traditional grains, and they add value to this produce,” said Minister Mutsvangwa. There is also a model village that is solar-powered, which demonstrates the benefits of climate-smart technologies. The fact that 80 percent of women live in communal areas where they constitute 61 percent of the farmers and provide 70 percent of the labour force means women have traditionally been assigned the onerous role of caregiving in their families.
“Zimbabwean women reside in rural areas; this year we have taken a paradigm shift and have decided to take International Women’s Day to the rural women for them to understand and appreciate the importance of the commemorations.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said it is a day to reflect on the progress made in the advancement of women’s issues.
“There will be exhibitions, entertainment, financial services, and other services, as well as presentations on various topics that will empower women with knowledge on food systems, climate change, empowerment, and health issues, amongst others,” she said.
“Outstanding rural women will also receive awards at this event.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said the Government sought to develop innovative ways to advance gender equality and empowerment of women, facilitate the achievement of sustainable development goals, and come up with innovative approaches that remove the ‘business as usual mentality’.
In 2017, Government established the Zimbabwe Women Microfinance Bank, which provides financial literacy and affordable financing to enable women to carry out income-generating activities.
The Government also established the Women’s Development Fund and the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund to enable women to access affordable funding.
Women also benefited from programmes such as internal savings and lending schemes and the Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies.
“My ministry continues to partner with local authorities and development partners for the development of safe and gender-responsive workspaces for women producers and traders,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“The Government has also played a critical role in empowering women through business and technical skills development, technology transfer and the value addition of agricultural and local resource endowments.”
Online Reporter