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WOMEN have been encouraged to be pro-active and take up opportunities in life to bridge the existing gender gap.
The call was made during the International Women’s Day celebrations organised by Pathways Women Empowerment and Girl Child Support Network at Chinotimba Community Hall in Victoria Falls on Saturday.
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8 to raise awareness on human and women rights, equality, empowerment, gender based violence and opportunities for girls and women.
This year’s theme is: “Accelerate Action” which emphasises the importance of strategic efforts to promote gender equality.
It comes amid realisation that while many strides have been made, progress has been generally slow.
Pathways Women’s Empowerment and Girl Child Support Network partnered with Pathways Africa, Nushu Sisters, Could You, Piper and Heath Travel, police, City of Victoria Falls, Youth Invest, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Ministry of Youth and other local partners.
The celebrations started with a march from Chinotimba shops popularly known as KoBusi up to the hall where the celebrations took place.
Mrs Sithabile Daka-Mungombe a lawyer who was guest of honour, advised women on various socio-economic rights and encouraged them to stand up for their empowerment without challenging cultural norms.
“As women let’s improve ourselves academically and not just stay at home or claim we have no money. I take the word woman to mean a worker, an organiser, a mother, one who aids or empowers others, and a nurse who nurtures the community. We represent the community.
“If we look in the Constitution there are sections that empower us such as Section 80 and Section 71. however, we have fewer women in political or top positions because we don’t support ourselves. Don’t wait to be handpicked, advance yourselves and fill up the space,” she said.
She said there is no law that takes away women’s rights.
During discussions, issues of child custody and property rights became topical as women claimed lack of equal rights.
Mrs Daka-Mungombe said: “Let’s unite as women. Women should be pro-active and take up opportunities.”
City of Victoria Falls acting director of Spatial Planing Ms Ntombizami Ncube encouraged women to take up their rights especially on property issues as she reiterated that they should be pro-active.
She was responding to concerns that most women have limited access to housing stands which is given to men.
“Council has a policy that says a family should benefit not more than once on housing stands so that everyone gets a stand since we have no land. So women should be pro-active and make sure on those stands we apply for our names are there,” she said.
Pathways was founded by Mr Trymore Ndolo and his partner Lisa.
He said the organisation focuses on women empowerment and girl child support.
He said the organisation has rolled out several projects including sewing, borehole drilling and nutritional gardens in the greater Victoria Falls environs.
“We have drilled and installed solar to about 25 boreholes, including upgrading some old handpump ones, where communities are now doing nutritional gardening and fish farming. These are projects literally brought by the girl child to the community because that is where our focus is,” said Mr Ndolo.
Every woman and girl who attended was handed a menstrual cup, a new method of addressing menstrual cycle issues. Pathways is distributing the menstrual cups and targets to distribute 10 000 of them to women and girls.
The organisation which employs a group of women tailors, has been making and distributing reusable sanitary pads which are distributed to schools in Hwange and Binga, while slowly making inroads into the whole of Matabeleland north.
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