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Mutsawashe Mashandure–Herald Correspondent
The Government is committed to coming up with innovative strategies and solutions that are comprehensive enough to address violence against women and girls, the Minister of Womens Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
In a speech read on her behalf by Permanent Secretary Dr Mavis Sibanda during the Women’s Action Group (WAG) 40th year anniversary held in Harare recently, Minister Mutsvangwa commended the advocacy group for its work in championing the rights of women and girls.
“Today we gather to acknowledge the efforts of the Women’s Action Group, which has stood out as an outstanding organisation in spearheading women’s economic empowerment, access to health, participation in leadership, and women’s legal rights,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa applauded the WAG for its efforts to end gender-based violence through its various people-centred programmes.
“I am also aware that the Women’s Action Group, through its programmes, has made efforts to ensure no one is left behind in their quest to continue building inclusive movements for ending violence against women and girls and promoting reproductive health.
“For example, the just-ended Spotlight Initiative, a global programme for addressing GBV led by my ministry with support from the European Union and the United Nations, has been one of the national programmes where women-led organisations have been able to use community-led initiatives to tackle issues of GBV.
“Your work has motivated other upcoming women’s organisations to follow suit and ensure that we empower as many women as we can. I salute you for your resilience; even in a challenging environment, you have remained focused on your goal”.
She also commended President Mnangagwa for appointing women into key decision-making positions as that ensures women have a seat at the highest level.
“We continue to make efforts to ensure we meet our Sustainable Development Goals targets on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.
Speaking at the same event, Executive Director from WAG Edina Masiyiwa said the organisation will continue marching on in the crusade to empower women.
“Today we celebrate the 40-year anniversary of Women’s Action Group’s (WAG) existence in the Feminist Movement Building spaces in Zimbabwe. We have so much to be proud of since WAG was born in 1983. Our 40th anniversary theme is ‘WAG at 40: we march on’. Today, we can safely celebrate that HIV is no longer a huge threat and people with HIV are living normal lives if they are on treatment,” she said.
However, she added that even as they celebrate the first 40 years of WAG’s existence more still needs to be done.
One of the WAG feminists, Sokuluhle Mhlanga, said the 40th anniversary was an important day for advocates of feminism.
“I am a product of the WAG Feminist School. I learned how to fight for the rights of women with disabilities using a holistic approach.
“WAG nurtured me into a woman who believes in her capabilities in spite of my disabilities. I am now advancing the disability agenda by taking on influential leadership roles so as to influence policy formulation that would accommodate people with disabilities,” she said.
Online Reporter