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Victor Maphosa
Mashonaland East Bureau
Zimbabwe last week joined the rest of the world in commemorating the International Day of Rural Women, with the nation paying tribute to the contributions rural women make in issues of national development.
The event is celebrated every year on October 15.
The day was set aside to reflect on the contributions that women in rural areas make to national development and this year’s commemorations were held under the theme: “Rural women confront the global cost of living”.
Officiating at the commemorations held at Chiutsi Business Centre in Mutoko, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, said rural women had critical roles in communities and economics.
“Women in rural communities make significant contributions to agricultural food systems transformation, they are involved in farming, food processing and preparation, marketing, land and natural resource management and building resilience.
“The theme resonates deeply with current challenges and highlights the critical role women living in rural areas play in our communities and economics. Women in rural areas are also among the groups that are most affected by global economic changes, including rising commodity prices, climate change and social inequalities which increase the cost of living,” she said.
Besides their contributions, women living in rural areas often face systematic barriers, such as limited access to land and resources, burden of care and limited access to technology.
“These barriers hinder their productivity and economic independence. Furthermore, cultural norms often restrict their decision making power. The World Bank reports that food inflation has reached unprecedented levels, putting pressure on already vulnerable populations, and women living in rural areas are amongst them. When crop yields decline due to climate change or economic pressures, women bear the burden to provide for their families and face food insecurity.
“Women in the rural area have enormous responsibility of domestic unpaid care such as caring for the family, the sick, the elderly and they are usually socially excluded in other development processes in their communities. In this context, it is therefore apt to acknowledge them as unsung heroes who live a normal life and yet perform extraordinarily in those roles,” Minister Mutsvangwa said.
Government recognises that women empowerment was not just the right thing to do, but was the critical ingredient in the fight against extreme poverty, illiteracy, hunger and malnutrition. As such, it had made several notable achievements in empowering rural women to address their challenges.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland East Aplonia Munzverengwi, who was represented by acting director provincial coordination Mr Kudzayi Chimusoro, said rural women should be appreciated for the contributions they make in communities.
“Let us appreciate women for their contribution towards food security right from their households across the communities up to national level. As a province, we are very grateful for the economic support that our women are getting from the Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development as well as from development partners.
“As Mashonaland East we are showcasing the fruits of the hard work that women of this great province are doing. We are all invited to check on the exhibitions that are mounted by women from different districts, which all bear testimony to the hard work I have alluded to and also the commitment that women have towards providing for their families and building our national economy.
“As we commemorate the International Day of Rural Women, we want to have special focus on developmental issues and the strategies by which we can help women to make the most of the resources at our disposal here in Mashonaland East. As we gather today here in Mutoko district, we also want to take this opportunity to appeal to financial institutions and development partners to avail funds to support women in different types of businesses,” she said.
The event was attended by senior Government officials, organisations that champion women rights and empowerment, development partners and the Mutoko community.
Online Reporter