adminNyanga Correspondent
CHAIRPERSON of the Zimbabwe Women Parliamentary Caucas, Cde Monica Mutsvangwa, has said lack of inclusive participation has largely contributed to the non-implementation of gender equality laws. Speaking at a workshop in Nyanga recently, Cde Mutsvangwa – who is also the Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services – said: “The non-implementation of gender equality laws and continued sex and gender stereotypes attitudes require all of us to work together in a robust national gender mainstreaming strategy.
“Experience has shown that gender equality on the basis of 50 percent women representation and participation cannot be achieved unless and until all Government processes, policy programmes and projects take gender issues into account and are designed according to this principle,” she said.
The Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Ms Helen Dingani also sang from the same hymn book, saying in as much as women Parliamentarians need gender mainstreaming techniques, there is also need to preach to politicians and other stakeholders so that they become as gender sensitive as possible.
“We have included chairpersons of committees in the Parliament and Thematic Committees in the Senate to attend this workshop so that they get an insight in these gender issues.
“We recently held a workshop with journalists in Harare and will be holding another one with editors. We can’t champion women emancipation alone-that has become our major strategy,” she said.
The Gender Mainstreaming Orientation Workshop’s main objectives were to expose participants to key gender issues as they relate to political and socio-economic sectors and identifying concrete strategies to address gender issues.
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