dyton mupawaenda
Rejoice Makoni-Herald Correspondent
Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, has commended the Government for crafting policies that promote gender equality and equal participation of women across all levels of public service.
Speaking at the fifth edition of Women in Local Government forum in Harare yesterday, Minister Mutsvangwa said the Government was working towards uplifting voices of women.
The forum was attended by women in local governance and gender focal persons across the country’s 10 provinces.
“As Minister, I am proud of the steps we have taken as a nation to promote the equal participation of women. Landmark policies such as the National Gender Policy, the establishment of the Gender Commission and Constitutional provisions aimed at gender equality have laid the groundwork. Our achievement of the 30% quota for women in local government was a hard-won milestone,” she said.
“We know that when women are equally represented in positions of leadership, communities prosper. Gender diverse councils lead to better policy outcomes, more sustainable development and increased satisfaction among residents.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said it was worrying that women were under-represented in local governance structures despite constituting over half of the country’s population.
“Women make up less than 20 percent of council chairpersons, councillors and senior administrators in many rural district councils. This imbalance undermines the principles of democracy and social justice enshrined in our Constitution.
“The decline in women’s participation we have witnessed in recent years should be a wake-up call. It tells us that the struggle for gender equality is far from over. That centuries of patriarchy and discrimination cannot be undone overnight. And that, even in 2023, remains a systemic barrier holding women back from public leadership.”
Minister Mutsvangwa called on women to be committed to gender equity to dismantle obstacles limiting their participation as decision makers.
“These challenges call on us – women and men, youths and elders, urban and rural to double our commitment to gender equity. We must dismantle the formal and informal obstacles limiting women’s ascent as leaders and decision-makers,” she added.
“We must open up political space so that women’s voices can be heard and their talents allowed to shine. And we must work actively to shift social perceptions about women’s roles in governance and development.
“Your presence in chambers, committee rooms and council meetings exemplify the truth that women’s leadership serves the public good. You must lean in to your responsibilities as representatives and community advocates. Use your platform to lift up constituents, shape policy with a gender lens and open doors for the next generation.”
The forum was running under the theme “Achieving Parity: The Critical Role of Women in Local Governance”.
Online Reporter