Tinaye Agere
Violet Chenyika
The Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development has launched a revised National Broad-Based Women Economic Empowerment Framework to promote women’s economic empowerment and gender equity.
The framework aligns with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 and National Development Strategies (NDS1) and aims to make women agents of change and equal partners in development.
Speaking at the validation workshop in Harare on Wednesday, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister Monica Mustvangwa emphasized the framework’s significance in addressing challenges hindering women’s participation in economic activities.
“Cultural norms, unpaid domestic care work, gender discrimination, limited entrepreneurial skills and access to resources have held women back,” she said.
She also stressed the importance of data driven analysis and collaboration with stakeholders to tackle cultural norms and ensure successful implementation.
“Economic empowerment is key in the empowerment of women as it positively impacts on all other spheres of life such as access to health and education, leadership and decision-making roles.
“We want to see more women getting into politics because they are the first leaders in their communities, advocating for essential services like clinics, schools, and clean water,” she said.
Online Reporter