Chronicle Editor
Brenda Zinyuke, Chronicle Reporter
WOMEN in Bulawayo have appealed to Government to come up with empowerment projects for women.
The women who joined the rest of the World to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) yesterday,said Government should assist them to start self-help projects.
They said there was high unemployment and the worst affected were women who are now fending for their families from money generated through vending or cross border trading.
This year’s commemorations are running under the theme “I am generation equality: realising women’s rights.”
There is a lound call to fast-track gender equality.
Mrs Babra Ncube-Moyo said women should be presented with opportunities to enable them to sustain themselves and become independent.
“As women, we need self-help projects so that we become self-sufficient. Some of these projects may be poultry farming or vegetable farming where women will then sell their produce and make a living. The Government may also avail some pieces of land such as plots and women can do various projects to sustain themselves,” she said.
Another woman, Ms Tendai Saurosi said the Government should do more to empower women especially at workplaces where there is inequality among men and women.
“I think our Government should focus more on uplifting women in at their workplaces where they are always looked down upon by their male counterparts. In most cases, even if a man and a woman have the same degree, first preference is always given to the man,” she said.
Ms Musa Ndiweni appealed to the Government to open more industries so that more jobs can be created for women and also monitor prices of commodities as rampant price hikes affect women more.
“Our Government should open more industries so that more jobs can be created because nowadays most women are involved in dealing. The economic situation is difficult for everyone and those who try to make a living through vending on the streets sometimes have their goods confiscated by authorities. Also, this issue of daily price increases affects women more as they try to make a living from vending,” she said.
Some women have lamented gender-based violence saying Government should do more to address the issue.
Ms Martha Dube said women were subjected to violence by their husbands because they are depended on them and in most cases were reluctant to report the abuse.
Minister of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Sithembiso Nyoni said women should press on regardless of some misconceptions within societies they live in.
“Women should continue to move on and celebrate their successes. They should refuse to be pushed down because sometimes they are told that they are nothing, not competent or fit to do anything. They should march on because they are having an impact in society. Any society that does not value its women does not succeed,” she said.
Minister Nyoni said Government will continue working towards uplifting women.
“Women have done a lot in life in so far as women empowerment is concerned. For instance, in Parliament a number of laws have been passed in favour of women. Some women are Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Ministers of State and some have their own businesses. We are not yet there as women but we are heading somewhere,” she said.
In a statement Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) said the day is meant to celebrate women’s achievements across all circles.
“The theme is a clarion call on individual persons and institutions to ensure that gender equality becomes a reality by way of implementing all legislative, policy and related administrative processes that seek to promote, protect and advance the right of women,” read the statement. — -@zinyuke98
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