Ten days of promoting women’s participation in public life launched

Latwell Nyangu

A 10-day campaign, aimed at promoting gender responsive policy making for women’s participation in public life, has been launched.

The campaign is courtesy of Women’s Democracy Network Zimbabwe, (WDN-ZW).

It is an organisation registered to promote women’s participation in leadership, politics and governance processes in Zimbabwe.

The campaign will run from today to September 6.

It will target diverse stakeholders and those key in advancing women’s participation in governance processes through amplifying trained gender champions.

WDN executive director, Sally Ncube said, the anticipated outcome for the campaign includes increasing stakeholders’ awareness on barriers to women’s inclusion.

“The anticipation is based on participation, strengthened responsiveness of duty bearers, public support for women’s leadership, political will by duty bearers, and increased action by diverse state and non-state actors to address barriers to women’s participation in public life through active participation and advocacy for gender responsive policy making.

“WDN Zimbabwe believes that if male and female gender champions are trained in gender responsive policy making and provided support and platforms to develop gender responsive policy making initiatives, this will significantly contribute to meaningful advocacy and duty bearers’ responsiveness on gender responsive policy interventions to address barriers to women’s participation in public life,” she said.

During the campaign period, three online policy dialogues will be convened by gender champions to create platforms for access to information, engaging with policy makers and sharing inspiration.

“In 2021 we mobilised 83 gender champions who were trained on gender responsive policy making to end gender-based violence in Harare province, provided with technical support to analyse public transport policies, draft policy recommendations and engage duty bearers.”

WDN Zimbabwe trained 30 gender champions on gender responsive policy making from July 28 to 29 this year.