‘Learn from other women in African countries’

their counterparts in other African countries.
The call was made by delegates from different African countries who attended the International Conference on Women’s Political and Economic Empowerment and Peace Building last week.
The delegates encouraged Government to ensure that women’s economic rights are enshrined in the Constitution for economic justice to prevail.
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries’ Matabeleland regional president Dr Ruth Labode said women should pool their resources and work in groups like their counterparts in other countries.
“Women need to learn to work as a group or as a union in order to cut down on costs and create an environment that will increase women’s empowerment in the economic sphere in an effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,” she said.
She added that the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development should set up a strong lobby for women economic empowerment.
Delegates indicated that the ministry should ensure that there are increased regional skills, capacities and solidarity to design and implement policies and programmes, which promote women’s economic empowerment.
They also recommended that all the African Union frameworks that Zimbabwe is signatory to should be domesticated and implemented.
Of the six frameworks highlighted, participants suggested that much more should be done on the creation of financial mechanisms in the form of funds for African women.
Under the AU, the Financial Framework Fund for African Women accounts for 1 percent of the union’s budget.
Financial institutions and the Government were also encouraged to provide financial support for women’s economic empowerment programmes and offer collateral-free loans.
The conference provided an opportunity for the AU gender directorate to elaborate on the Economic Decade for Women initiative that was launched in Zimbabwe last Wednesday.
The main aim of the conference was to come up with solutions to challenges faced by women in the economic, political and social spheres.