Empower rural women

worldwide.
Although rural women constitute the greatest proportion of the agricultural labour force and produce most of the food grown particularly in subsistence farming, barriers in education and training limit their participation in more productive and remunerative work.
Their contribution is, however, so important that a day to honour them was deliberately set aside on the eve of World Food Day.
Speaking of commemorations just last week Zimbabwean women joined the rest of the world in celebrating for the first time ever, Day of the Girl Child on October 11.
It is a day that acknowledges the unique personal development challenges faced by young girls in contexts punctuated by sexism and gender inequality.
Today we also remember the unique developmental experiences of rural women.
We remember the important role-played by these rural women during the country’s economic challenges during the past decade. 
It can be said that Zimbabwean women in general literally sustained the economy on their backs, crossing hostile borders at ungodly hours to buy groceries when empty store shelves were the order of the day.
Alongside a dry season and bad harvests, the situation was difficult for rural women who often found themselves having to also support their urban-based relatives with maize for mealie-meal and other things.
This is a time in the annals of the country’s history that we should never forget.
From a simplistic perspective, rural women do pretty much the same as what urban women do for their families.
They engage in endless unremunerated labour providing food and caring for the sick among many other things.
But rural women are worse off, sometimes having to walk long distances just to fetch water and firewood before going into the fields.
They have to contend with lack of access to critical health services due to steep costs and often, lack of experienced health personnel.
Access to adequate services and improved health remains among the most urgent needs of rural women and girls.
How many urbanites have sent their sick relatives to be looked after in the rural areas, possibly to die there too?
Nevertheless, it was heartening to note recently that one of the pledges at the launch of the Zimbabwe Chapter of the GlobalPOWER Women Network Africa last week was to ensure that national budgets take into account the needs of women.
The Harare Call to Action, a document containing the outcome of the network, prioritises maternal health and a roadmap towards accelerating the attainment of women’s sexual and reproductive rights.
The call takes note of the alarming maternal mortality rate of 960 per 100 000 births as well as the fact that the disadvantaged position of women particularly those in rural areas stems from lack of access to financial resources.
SafAids Executive Director Mrs Lois Chingandu recently spoke of the need for the GlobalPOWER Network in Zimbabwe to seriously tackle the contentious maternal fees issue saying that Government should be challenged to bring health services to the people through mobile clinics.
For rural women the urgent need is to curb deaths from preventable maternity complications, removal of user fees and provision of innovative medical facilities.
Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe recently highlighted the need to do things differently this time around, and interrogate that the National Budget adequately caters for the needs of women, or else it would not be passed in Parliament.
DPM Khupe challenged Members of Parliament to ensure that they do not pass budgets without taking time to thoroughly examine them and looking at whether adequate resources are allocated to sectors that affect women such as maternal services, education and agriculture.
These are the things women will look out for come mid-November when the Finance Minister presents the 2013 Budget.
Today the Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion Portfolio Committee commence countrywide public consultations on the 2013 National Budget.
The public, including rural communities, has an opportunity to contribute to the process by giving input on their key priorities in the upcoming National Budget.
With equitable and adequate allocations towards healthcare, agricultural production, education and investment into skills and innovations to economically empower women, access to credit and inheritance rights, the situation of rural women could actually improve.
The empowerment of rural women should be a priority considering their role in poverty and hunger eradication.

l Natasha Msonza is a communication strategist and Information Officer at the Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre &Network (ZWRCN). Feedback on telephone 252388/90 or email: [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter: @zwrcnwomen