marble nkomo
THE world marked International Women’s Day yesterday, a day set aside to recognise the social, political and economic achievements of women.
Broadly, progress is being made across the board, but we recognise the challenges that some women in some settings face, which limit their ability to thrive. These impediments are a result of some cultural practices.
Some cultures expressly don’t allow women to work, while others are structured in a manner that subtly locks them out of the job market. Some don’t allow women to hold political office, while others continue to treat women as minors at the level of children.
We appreciate that even in our country, some women still face these barriers.
While this is true, the bigger picture is a society that is marching ahead as one — women and men; girls and boys.
Recognising that our past systematically marginalised women, and that some pockets still do, the government has put in place laws, policies and mechanisms to address the challenges.
We have a ministry whose mandate is to specifically advance women’s rights. It recently launched the National Gender Policy.
We have many women holding influential political positions in the country. They are there at the top table in the ruling party, in Cabinet, in the military, in the civil service and so on.
The Constitution sets aside a portion of seats in Parliament for women.
The private sector has many women at the top as well. Some do not just sit on boards; they actually chair them. We also have several female chief executives, managing directors and other senior positions.
Educational institutions are enrolling girls and women who excel just like boys and men. In fact, girls consistently outperform boys at Grade 7, Form 4 and Form 6 final exams.
Speaking on Friday, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa detailed the milestones that the country has made in advancing the interests of women towards the attainment of gender equality.
“We have launched the National Gender Policy to ensure women’s voices are not just heard, but heeded at every table where decisions are made,” she said.
“To champion the well-being of women, we have established one-stop centres and mobile units; integrated hubs that provide holistic support. We have also equipped thousands of women with practical skills in high-demand sectors, enabling them to build sustainable livelihoods and drive national development from the ground up.”
Women’s access to finance has been expanded via the Women’s Development Fund, the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund, the Women’s Microfinance Bank and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Corporation.
“These are not just institutions; they are bridges connecting women to the capital they need to turn ideas into enterprises and dreams into realities,” she added.
Indeed, the past was skewed against women and girls, but we are witnessing progress in the national drive towards gender equality.
Online Reporter