Chronicle Editor
Gibson Mhaka, Senior Features Reporter
THE gender-power divisions within the Mlotshwa family in Monde Village outside Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North province are a confirmation that society is not yet ready for women leadership.
Some Mlotshwa family members vowed not to allow the late Chief Mvutu’s eldest and married daughter, Ms Silibaziso Mlotshwa (24) to succeed her father who died six years ago just because she is a woman.
Instead, the Mlotshwa family nominated the late Chief’s brother, Mr Sanders Mlotshwa as his successor in December 2014 saying it is against the Ndebele culture for a woman to succeed her father as a chief.
But Ms Mlotshwa challenged the family decision in court arguing that she is entitled to take over traditional leadership from her late father.
As if to remind the nation of the importance of protecting the rights of women, the High Court nullified the nomination of Mr Sanders Mlotshwa as a potential successor to the late Chief Mvutu and ordered a restart of the selection process saying gender cannot be used as grounds to disqualify women from being chiefs.
Sadly, Ms Silibaziso’s case is far from over and is just but a tip of the iceberg. It reflects how existing traditional systems and cultural norms actively exclude and disadvantage women from standing at all levels of traditional leadership.
It is also an example of how the country has been thriving under traditional leadership systems that are also responsible for making it more difficult for women to leave their traditionally domestic roles outside of their homes and participate in the upper echelons of national and international political activities.
According to the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) Gender Protocol Barometer of 2018, there were only six female chiefs and 15 female headmen in the country out of a total of 272 and 452 respectively.
Research has shown that women encounter hurdles globally when attempting to participate in political activity despite the fact that many states have ratified international conventions and protocols, which provide full rights to women to enjoy participation in political activities.
For example, in the Sadc region, the 30 percent average women participation rate is still only half-way to the target of 50 percent women representation required by the Protocol on Gender and Development of 2008.
Despite the fact that participation of women through gender equality is a prominent issue at the global, national, and district levels through the enactment of laws, policies, and conventions, women particularly in Zimbabwe continue to be under-represented across every area of political life by virtue of the lesser status ascribed to them by tradition and custom.
It should be noted that women’s rights under international conventions are universal norms to which all countries must adhere and women, like men, are entitled to exercise their human rights, which include fundamental rights and freedoms within the family and society at large.
Studies have shown that many societies are concerned that the promotion of gender equality would interfere with local culture hence they feel that gender equality should not be promoted for ethical reasons.
This, however, leaves women with the unpleasant situation of choosing between their rights and their culture.
While the Government of Zimbabwe has subscribed to international agreements and instituted national policies to improve women’s representation, there is every indication that customs and traditions still constitute an obstacle to women’s enjoyment of their human rights.
According to gender activists, these socially constructed and harmful cultural norms and practices of many contemporary societies are subjugating women to men and hindering their equal and influential participation into politics.
They said the overall impact of gender bias, cultural norms and practices has entrenched a feeling of inferiority in women and place them at a disadvantage vis-à-vis their male counterparts in politics.
Policy analyst on gender equality and women’s empowerment Ms Tinashe Madamombe said there are many factors brought about by culture and traditions that continue to suppress women’s participation in politics.
“Zimbabwe, being a patriarchal society, has led women to being socialised to believe that they are the ‘helper’ and not the leader. A woman’s place is kept in the private sphere and not to lead in public. Women are socialised to speak, walk and behave in a certain way, and when they behave in a way that is out of these cultural expectations, they are shamed by society.
These social norms make it more difficult for women to leave their traditional domestic roles outside of their homes and participate in politics,” said Ms Madamombe.
She said traditional beliefs and cultural attitudes especially with regards to women’s roles and status in society remain strong particularly in rural areas.
Senior legal practitioner and human rights defender Mrs Nikiwe Ncube-Tshabalala also blamed socio-cultural beliefs and practices as major hindrances to women’s participation in politics despite their capabilities and qualifications.
“Women have been labelled as the weaker sex in most patriarchal societies and this has affected all their spheres of life including leadership positions and their participation in politics. They (women) are usually considered weak for political posts thus they are relegated to care work in the family,” she said.
Mrs Ncube-Tshabalala said women also suffer from societal perceptions that their role in the family overrides all other roles.
It is clear from her observation that customary laws, like any other living law, are not supposed to be static but should instead be dynamic and change with time.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) commissioner Mrs Sibongile Chambakale Mauye who is also co-chair of the
Thematic Working Group of Stakeholders on Gender, Socio-Cultural and Religious Issues said despite the fact that gender equality has become a prominent issue at the global, national, and district levels, there were some harmful cultural norms and practices that were hindering women’s right to equal voice and participation in political life.
“Gender imbalance in politics is as a result of traditional systems and customs that suppress women’s participation in politics on the basis of culture. Some cultures consider women as inferior beings that cannot preside over men.
Such myths and stereotypes hinder both men and women from voting women into political office.
“Tradition also confines women to the domestic space making their participation in the public arena, especially politics, a red zone area.
Marriage systems also create relationships that make married women ‘belong’ to particular kin groups, which sometimes feel embarrassed to be led by a daughter-in-law,” said Commissioner Mauye.
She said support should also be provided to equip men to be powerful advocates for women’s participation in politics.
Comm Mauye said these men should speak out about the importance of women’s role in politics and support registration of female voters.
Chief Gorden Bango from Kezi in Matabeleland South province also acknowledged that although women constitute more than 50 percent of the country’s population, they do not have adequate representation in politics.
“Various reasons are offered for the under-representation of women in politics. Popular forms of explanation are our society’s steering of women away from political activities, security issues and the notion that political decision-making and public responsibilities are ‘a man’s topic’,” said Chief Bango.
He however, said as traditional leaders, they were also leading a campaign for the achievement of gender parity in politics.
“As traditional leaders we are also doing our best to promote women especially those from the rural areas to be involved in leadership assignments including politics. As a testimony, most committees from my area are being led by women, though most men still have the perception that males are the only good leaders,” said Chief Bango.
ZGC Commissioner Peter Mawonera (Chief Chikwizo) said while recognising that there were numerous cultural practices that require immediate eradication as they hinder women’s equal and influential participation in politics, it is however, vital to appreciate that there are still many others that are also useful, either potentially or in reality.
“It is not just through traditional systems and cultural norms and practices that inequalities in politics are created. Our culture was never meant to suppress women, but to empower them, even up to now.
For example, today women are in politics though on a smaller-scale and culture is a strong foundation or basis for their engagement in politics. Glaring gaps in policy, legal frameworks and investment opportunities however, makes it difficult for women to perform to their full potential in social, economic and political spheres,” said Commissioner Mawonera.
Although socio-cultural beliefs and practices are often blamed for barring women to access leadership positions, there are also some contemporary hurdles like illiteracy, lack of deliberate empowerment and lack of confidence on the part of women to take up challenges.
Female traditional leader Chief Ndube, born Nonhlanhla Sibanda from Filabusi, Insiza District, Matabeleland South province who fought a six-year drawn-out battle with her family members to succeed her late father Chief Ndube born Andrew Sibanda said although the representation of women in politics has increased over the years, women traditional leaders were still playing less significant roles as compared to their male counterparts.
“This is due to some endemic cultural perception of the position of women in public life. There is however, need for sensitisation and training programmes to empower these women traditional leaders so that they can also be included in the governance system and structures of the country where they can help address specific issues such as violence against women, girls’ lack of education and community health issues,” said Chief Ndube.
Ms Madamombe however, urged the Government to put in place policies and measures to counter discrimination in areas including education, marriage and politics.
“Tackling of these customs and traditions can be done through a change in behaviours which start from socialisation in the school, family and society at large. Since culture is dynamic, norms and values that suppress women’s political participation can also be changed.
“Traditional gender roles that hinder women from participating in the public sphere can also be addressed by availing gadgets that can make traditional gendered roles less time consuming hence leaving more time for women to participate in public engagements. De-gendering roles in the home and the community will also see more women participating in politics,” she said.
However, the demand for more gender-balanced representation needs to be based on proper understanding of the actual barriers women face.
The Government of Zimbabwe took its international obligations seriously by creating effective policies and other interventions to address the problem of gender inequalities but customs and traditions remain the major obstacle.
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