admingeneral, is likely to find a huge “Yes vote”.
As expected if voted, the constitution will surely revolutionalise the gender relationship in Zimbabwe. It will see the women in the country getting more recognition and this is likely going to cause some friction with males.
Already, some men are crying against the clauses in the draft Constitution that they feel are detrimental to their positions in society.
The media has been awash with complaints from men who feel women will use the opportunity to get a go on the males.
This is quite understandable given that no one is willing to give up power and its privileges. Men are aware of how they have enjoyed the unevenness of power and used it to their benefit.
But if we are to have a society that is equal for all people it is necessary that the menfolk understand the greater good that is going to come from the deliberate uplifting of our women.
The relation of genders is what the country and others in the region have pledged to promote and we celebrated.
Now that the country has moved a step closer to putting this into action many men are beginning to doubt its applicability.
Section 17 of the draft Constitution guarantees full promotion of gender balance in Zimbabwe and that is a plus for the society.
What men in the country should know is that this is not meant to demean their role in family and in the country but to enhance their participation in the development of the country.
This will mean the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of Government at every level.
That in itself will ensure that their voices are heard in the formulation of national policies.
Currently, women have no equal access to land. Land rights that they have are held as part of the family. This has not been good to the society as women in cases of divorce have been left with nothing.
As such, it will be an advantage to the society that must take positive measures to rectify gender discrimination and imbalances resulting from past practices and policies and promote the full participation of women in national development.
If women make the bulk of the people that are working on the land, surely it will make sense to have a considerable representation of that sex in the ownership of that resource.
Section 26, of the draft Constitution supports the institution of marriage and clearly defines that it will be a union of two concerting adults.
This means both men and women cannot be forced into marriage. This is a plus for men who in some instances, have been forced into marriage unwillingly and young girls who have often-times been pressured by both religion and tradition to marry outside their assent.
The section gives similar obligations to both sexes and that is what has been lacking in most marriages. While it is true that women have in the past tended to rely on their husbands for everything, the constitution now places on both parties equal responsibility for the upbringing of the children.
In the same manner, the State and all institutions and agencies of Government at every level are mandated to protect and foster the institution of the family provision of care and assistance to mothers, fathers and other family members who have charge of children as well as preventing domestic violence.
Domestic violence has not helped foster development in the family.
The establishment of the Gender Commission under the new constitution, if adopted, will ensure that women can contribute meaningfully in addressing the gender disparities as they have been the oppressed sex.
The commission will also secure appropriate redress where rights relating to gender have been violated and instead promote gender equality.
It is good that the proposed constitution creates an extra 60 seats for women legislators that will be allocated on the basis of the number of seats that a party would have garnered during the polls as this will create unity between men and women in the political parties.
To realise increased representation of parties in the august House, parties will work together and that will surely encourage tolerance and unity of purpose among both sexes in political parties.
As such if adopted, the constitution will surely mark a new era of women empowerment in Zimbabwe’s modern politics.
Currently, women hold a meagre 15 percent of seats in both House of Assembly and the scenario has been blamed for retarded entry of women in many levels of the organisation.
Although at the top leadership of the two main political parties (Zanu–PF and MDC-T), the presidents are deputised by women, many of the female supporters are still bitter about playing second fiddle in comparison to their male counterparts.
This will surely change with coming of the new constitution.
As gender activists have rightly highlighted, the current Constitution of Zimbabwe adopted at the Lancaster House offers little opportunity for women and gender equity and this will end with the coming into effect of the new constitution.
Online Reporter