Illiteracy keeps more women at bay in politics

Fatima Bulla Musakwa

ZIMBABWE prides itself as one of the top African countries with a high literacy rate yet local studies reveal a greater percentage of women are still lagging behind in that regard.

A 2019 Labour Force and Child Labour Survey conducted by Zimstat reveal greater percentages of women who have never been to school and those who left school compared to men.

In addition, the report also shows that more women have never been to school due to their background informed by the belief that education was considered not important compared to men.

This, experts say, has negative repercussions in future for women’s participation in various facets of life including politics.

Former Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) commissioner, Bessie Nhandara said illiteracy stands out as one of the reasons for women’s lack of political participation because without basic reading and writing skills they become alienated from politics.

“Women will not only lack a crucial step on the road to active political participation but also lack voice, confidence and competence. 

“Competing and progressing on the political front include: membership of political party, voting in elections, occupation of a political post, means of occupation of political post and the level of occupation of that political post. 

“Lack of literacy skills to understand the political process makes women more of spectators than active participants,” Comm Nhandara said.

She posited that illiteracy does not only make it difficult for women to cast their vote on election day but that it also makes it harder for them to engage with the subject and understand the process.

A research paper on Women’s Education and Political Participation published by the International Journal of Advanced Education and Research provides strong links between formal education and political participation.

It defines women’s political participation as their ability to participate equally with men, at all stages, and in all aspects of political life and decision-making process. 

This position also tallies with Sustainable Development Goal Four, which identifies quality education for all as an important factor in achieving gender equality.

“Its direct effects include the acquisition of the knowledge and communication skills useful for public debate, and direct training in political analysis through courses with current events content,“ the research states about formal education.

In revealing the indirect effects of formal education it notes benefits of voluntary engagement in school: clubs, sports and newspapers as arenas which provide young people with an early apprenticeship for politics, where they can exercise leadership, develop civic skills of co-operation and negotiation, and acquire bureaucratic and organisational skills useful for political activity. 

“Education enhances other factors supporting political engagement, such as access to high-income jobs that provide the resources and contacts for political activity, and access to non-political associations such as charitable organisations or religious establishments that can be a recruitment ground for political activity,” the research reveals.

Murehwa Rural District (MRDC) Ward 1 councillor, Alderman Resta Dzvinyangoma, said education is a basic to everything including participating in politics and decision-making.

Having dropped out of school due to her father’s beliefs that educating a girl was a waste of money, Alderman Dzvinyangoma said education is power.

“According to my experience in politics as well as in local government, you won’t be cheated especially during campaigning seasons because you will hear men saying that ‘vote for us this post needs someone who is educated or someone who can read and write’.

“Furthermore, in council or in Parliament meetings all the documents are in English so if you cannot read and write it will be very difficult for you to participate or contribute.

“That’s why most times in council chambers, most women councillors remain silent or you might hear their voices when praying. We also have male councillors who are illiterate but you won’t notice them because they will be covered by their big numbers unlike with women,” she added.

In the 2018 Zimbabwe general elections, 274 out of 1 959 local government posts were claimed by women.

In the House of Assembly, 86 out of the 270 seats were taken by women with 60 being reserved through the mandatory quota system.

Zimbabwe Local Government Association president, Mr David Mutasa said though women were not lagging behind much in education, they were their worst enemies as they demonise each other when vying for political office.

“Women are not very much behind especially those who stand for positions. In my council, over 60 percent know how to articulate issues including reading and writing.

“What is keeping women behind is that demonisation especially by fellow women. You find them using her marital status against her when she wants to take office. They look at her dressing, etcetera some of which is unfounded. 

“Even those who want to be Members of Parliament suffer that. You hear women in local communities saying don’t we have an option. It’s not surprising that for women in positions of office they had more men supporting them,” Mr Mutasa said. 

International protocols such as the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPFA), which Zimbabwe is party to, provide ideal frameworks for equal participation in politics and leadership for women.

The protocol, adopted at the fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, states: “Achieving the goal of equal participation of women and men in decision-making will provide a balance that more accurately reflects the composition of society and is needed in order to strengthen democracy and promote its proper functioning.”