adminNokuthaba Mathema Chronicle Reporter
WOMEN across the country should rally behind female candidates in the forthcoming harmonised elections in a bid to increase participation of women in politics, an official said. Speaking at a Women Peace Building and Conflict Management Workshop in Bulawayo on Tuesday, Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU) information, campaign and advocacy officer, Ms Tsitsi Mhlanga said women in leadership positions were better advocates for peace than their male counterparts.
“These coming elections are a period where women should support each other in making sure that the challenges that we have faced over the past years and have not been adequately addressed by men are fully tackled by women in leadership.
“Team work is what we should be pushing for, we should have more women in leadership by mobilising support from the grassroots. We need to have more women in political spaces and in resolving conflict so as to make sure that the country remains peaceful,” said Ms Mhlanga.
Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe policy and advocacy officer Mrs Emedy Gunduza said more women would observe the coming elections to enhance women’s ownership and equal participation in the electoral processes.
She said the development was part of the implementation of the Women’s Situation Room (WSR) that was launched last year.
Mrs Gunduza said information had been disseminated to all the provinces in the country to ensure that women were not left out in electoral issues.
“Ahead of the forth coming harmonised elections, we want to ensure that through the Women’s Coalition, WSR is implemented in pushing for the increased active input of women in elections so as to appreciate the need for us to participate more actively and own the electoral processes.
“We have noticed that women’s voices have been silent in Zimbabwe and the time is now to speak out on women’s issues effectively,” she said.
Mrs Gunduza said there was a need for women to amplify their voices through proportional representation in parliament.
“The percentage of women in parliament dropped from 34 percent to the current 17 percent in 2008 and that gap should be covered by increasing the voices of women in the country. Let us build understanding and knowledge among women as candidates and voters.
“Elections will happen under a new constitution that gives women the right to participation and increased representation through the 60 free seats for women in parliament,” she said.
Bulawayo provincial development officer in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Mrs Vaidah Mashangwa called on women to be continue as advocates for peace ahead of elections.
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