Chronicle Editor
Esinathy Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday called for proportional representation quota in Parliament to be continued beyond its lapse in 2023 to promote inclusivity of women in politics and governance.
Addressing the Zimbabwe Gender Commission second national gender forum in Bulawayo, VP Mohadi said he was concerned by the low number of women who won seats in open polls in the July 30 elections.
He said the Government has noted with concern that despite constitutional, legislative and policy guarantees, women failed to reach the expected 50 percent representation in Government make-up.
Women make up only 31,5 percent of the National Assembly, 48 percent of the Senate and 13,3 percent of the councillors, a representation which is relatively low when addressing gender parity issues.
VP Mohadi said President Emmerson Mnangagwa is committed to have the proportional representation provision extended to try and increase the overall representation of women in Government.
“Although the 60 reserved seats for women have served to increase the overall representation of women in the National Assembly, the low numbers of women who managed to get into Parliament through direct election point confirms a need to extend the proportional representation quota beyond parliament,” he said.
“His Excellency, in one of his statements committed to have this provision extended.”
The proportional representation was a temporary provision by the Government through the Statutory Instrument 85 of 2013, a system which ensured better representation of women and is set to expire in 2023.
VP Mohadi said Government is committed to promoting gender equality, promoting women’s rights and ensuring inclusivity.
He said this has been exhibited by the appointment of six Cabinet Ministers up from three in the previous administration and five female Provincial Affairs Ministers out of nine. “Although this is far from the 50 percent mark, His Excellency, the President, remarked at a recent event that the low numbers of women in Parliament gives him a limited pool of qualified women to choose from,” said VP Mohadi.
“However, the appointment of five Resident Ministers out of nine, demonstrates Government’s commitment to achieve parity. The appointment of the first female Defence Minister is also an acknowledgement by Government that women are equally able to hold strategic and powerful portfolios that have in the past been a preserve of men.”
VP Mohadi said the Government has since Independence demonstrated commitment to promoting women representation through the signing of relevant international treaties and conventions.
“In domesticating these treaties and conventions, Zimbabwe has made significant progress towards the expansion of women’s social, economic and political entitlements through our progressive constitution as well as other relevant laws,” he said.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to conventions such as the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the SADC Protocol and the African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women.
VP Mohadi said the country has moved from the patriarchal constitution to a progressive one which outlaws all forms of discrimination and guarantees gender equality and the need for affirmative action to fight past injustices. He said the responsibility now lies within public and private institutions to guarantee gender parity in Section 17 of the Constitution.
“The two- day forum ends today. — @esinathy_essira
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