peterRutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Correspondent
THE Second Republic has registered significant strides in empowering women and achieving gender equality through availing a basket of opportunities locally, regionally and globally.
So important has been the gender equality and women emancipation agenda that it has emerged as one of the key global targets set through millennium development goals and subsequently the sustainable development goals.
It was at the turn of the millennium that the Millennium Development Goals set gender equality and women emancipation as the third target of the 15 set goals.
As a way of implementing these goals, Zimbabwe chose three initial goals that were set to be prioritised at the initial stage. Goal one which aspired to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, goal three which set to promote gender equality and empower women and goal six which would ensure the nation combats HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases were chosen by Zimbabwe.
Particularly on gender equality and women emancipation, the nation was to witness significant strides in achieving this goal through setting up different frameworks.
These frameworks saw the establishment of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community development.
The Ministry’s sole mandate is to promote gender equality and women emancipation.
Part of the frameworks set also saw 60 seats in the house of assembly being reserved for women hence giving them an opportunity to partake in issues of national interest and decision making.
Subsequently, the nation witnessed the first woman in the Presidium who was Cde Joice Mujuru who became the country’s first female Vice President.
It was at this time that women took up key positions in the civil and private sector, a development that the Second republic has built on and ensured it walks the talk in empowering women.
While some strides were taken by the First Republic, the coming in of the Second Republic has seen the establishment of socio-economic emancipation facilities like the Zimbabwe Women’s Micro-Finance Bank to empower women in small to medium enterprises, amongst other initiatives.
Speaking at a meeting held to exchange information and share ideas on businesses and how to improve collaboration between women in production and the Ministry in Lupane recently, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni reaffirmed the Second Republic’s commitment towards women emancipation’s cause while also highlighting some of the achievements under the New Dispensation.
“As you might be aware, one of my Ministry’s main mandates is to promote gender equality and women empowerment.
To that end, my Ministry shall continue to support and empower women and the girl-child through various empowerment programmes.
In terms of promoting women’s access to funding, my officials will today present on the four funding vehicles that we have in the Ministry.
You should access these funds in order grow and graduate from micro to small and medium enterprises to large companies.
In terms of promoting women’s access to markets, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) established an online platform for African women called, the 50 Million African Women Speak Platform (50MWASP).
“The platform is designed to provide women with access to financial information and other non-financial services as well as sources of markets for products.
The department of programme management will be conducting training programmes in the 10 provinces in order to enable you to register on this online platform.
Out of the 14 COMESA countries utilising the platform, Zimbabwe sits in 5th place and has so far recorded 7057 women who have used this facility to access the required information and services,” said Dr Nyoni.
The Second Republic has also ensured it positions women strategically in order for them to benefit from regional and global opportunities.
“I would also like you to benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area which was established to promote trade and regional integration.
Under this Free Trade Area, you can export your products throughout African countries duty free or preferential rates for selected products. My Ministry has also been facilitating and sponsoring women’s participation at shows, expos, exhibitions and fairs such as the ZITF, the Dubai 2020 Expo and agricultural shows.
You should also attend these exhibitions and fairs in order to market your products and services,” she said.
The Minister added that women have also engaged Zimtrade for export development training and other organisations like the Standards Association of Zimbabwe for standards development and the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe for acquiring knowledge on tender procedures and how to participate in these tenders.
This is in line with the National Development Strategy 1 where the Second Republic through the relevant ministry has embarked on a programme to ensure women are empowered at grassroots level.
The concept of women empowerment clubs has been introduced through provincial and district structures in partnership with Zimbabwe Women Micro Finance Bank which will fund the clubs for income generating activities.
Women empowerment clubs are receiving training on the new concept which focuses on both social and economic development and these clubs are the vanguard of development and a channel through which Government programmes can be mainstreamed.
The work by the First Lady cannot be overlooked.
This has seen the First Lady engaging in robust philanthropic work that has seen communities from all works of life particularly marginalised women being empowered, together with the girl child, and men and boys as well. — @nyeve14
Online Reporter