Online Reporter
Kuda Bwititi in BEIJING, China
ZIMBABWE and China should elevate collaboration in promoting women empowerment as ladies are the foundation of change for a better Africa, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
In an exclusive interview with CGTN’s Cui Yingjie on the sidelines of the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women that ended in Beijing last Tuesday, Minister Mutsvangwa praised China’s role in promoting global gender equality and empowering women through collaboration and shared learning.
Minister Mutsvangwa said women in Africa are not just beneficiaries but the backbone of change.
Reflecting on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Minister Mutsvangwa described the conference as a crucial moment to “review, recommit and move forward together.”
“We brought so many leaders, especially women leaders, to change, to review all the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which was first in 1995, done in Beijing.
“The Global Leaders Meeting on Women was highly successful; this shows that China is indeed a global leader. We learnt a lot from each other.
“Women of Africa are not just beneficiaries; they are the foundation of change. They are ready to take up opportunities. They are ready to be educated more about the world. They are hardworking, they are resilient, despite the challenges.”
Minister Mutsvanga noted that women, despite being adversely affected by climate change, have demonstrated significant resilience.
“Climate change is affecting women disproportionately, so we really need to do more to make sure that we teach them how to mitigate and adapt. We want to make sure that our women understand the world so that they can use digital skills…e-commerce, the e-market, they should be able to use to find a market.”
