dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Community radio stations must be acknowledged for the wonderful service they are providing in disseminating information in marginalised communities, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said this week.
Her ministry is the torch bearer of the National Gender Policy and issues to do with community development, SMES, girls and women empowerment.
She said there was need for the inclusion in development issues for all stakeholders regardless of gender, disability, religion, social status and creed.
In a speech read on her behalf by the principal director in her Ministry, Mrs Caroline Raradza, at a symposium on promoting access to information, participation and voice of marginalised women in the Zimbabwean media landscape, Minister Mutsvangwa said 52 percent of the Zimbabwean population were women and over 80 percent of these lived in rural areas.
“It is of paramount importance that community radios be acknowledged for the wonderful service they are providing in disseminating information in our marginalised communities,” she said.
“As the outgoing Minister of Information and Publicity, I take pride in bringing home an agenda to equip marginalised women and communities in our country with knowledge and up-to-date information shared on their community radios so that they too will not be left behind. Hence, ladies and gentlemen, the vision of “Leaving no place and no-one behind” is achieved.
“Women empowerment issues and gender equality are not just ideals; they are fundamental human rights. Women empowerment should be realised in all spheres of life, be they socio-economic, political or environmental.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said her Ministry had taken great strides in promoting women empowerment economically by establishing the Women Development Fund, which funds both established and new businesses to promote their growth.
“The Zimbabwe Women’s Micro Finance Bank, SMEDCO and the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund housed under my Ministry also provide funding to women,” she said.
“My Ministry is anchored on the notion and vision that when women are empowered, not only do they benefit individually but so do the community and the nation as a whole.
“This is amplified by social key areas that the Ministry focuses on for inclusion purposes such as women and education, climate smart, health and many others.
“Ministry believes that educating a woman leads to the education of the nation. It is therefore important to advance women and girls education through reintegration of dropouts and those who have never attended school to be enrolled in the class.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said the launch of the Gender Action Plan on Climate Change this year proved that her Ministry was geared to embrace environmental and agriculture issues and domesticating them in the communities.
“As we adopt all of the issues I have highlighted above, it is imperative that we consider women’s sexual reproductive health rights too and disseminate these on community radios, especially this month of October, where we educate communities on breast cancer and celebrate rural women,” she said.
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