Women urged to claim stake in mainstream economy

Herald Reporter
Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Oppah Muchinguri says her ministry will strive to ensure that women claim their stake in the country’s mainstream economy in line with the Zanu-PF manifesto. She said her ministry would also lobby Treasury for increased funding in areas where women have a keen interest, like reproductive health, agriculture, water and sanitation.
Minister Muchinguri said this on the sidelines of a strategic planning workshop for officials within her ministry on Tuesday.

“Women trusts should address the issue of poverty so that females can solve bread and butter issues as articulated within the Zanu-PF manifesto,” she said. “People gave the party a 72 percent mandate through Parliament and now the task is to deliver that which we promised the people.”

Minister Muchinguri said her administration was aware that the Gender Commission was a major priority area.

“We are going to be putting the Gender Commission in line with new Constitution of Zimbabwe as a matter of urgency because we hope it will monitor and make sure that gender is mainstreamed in all sectors,” she said.

The Gender Commission, she said, is expected to monitor issues concerning gender equality, investigate possible violations of rights relating to gender, receive and consider complaints from the public among other issues.

“Females need to participate in those areas that were previously male dominated and programmes that are of interest to women need to be fully addressed. The ministry will re-align laws to fit in the constitutional dictates,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri said within the next few years the major focus would be on demanding decision making space for women and ensure they get 50 percent representation.