WOMEN ARE NOT THEIR OWN ENEMIES
WOMEN are not their own enemies, as a section of the population are trying to project, Former Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) Lusaka Chapter Chairperson Diana Kayumba has said.
Ms Kayumba observed that when women wanted high positions, but failed to get them, the perception had been that they were their own enemies, and that when they got such positions, they would not respect their fellow women, including men.
According to her, it was the society that said women were not supposed to occupy higher positions.
“Women are not their own enemies, but society is. Right from the word go, it had always been like that, men were supposed to be up there. All over, men are the ones who take decisions, and society has come to accept it for a very long time, that men are supposed to be robust,” Ms Kayumba said.
In her perspective, when a woman tried to climb to the top with her male counterparts, people would speak against her.
She said society had also perceived women to be timid, quiet and for indoors, not mingling with men.
“If we want a sustainable development in society, we must bring women on board. The society must also be educated on the need to get the women involved in the decision-making process, and fully involved in politics.
“If we want this country to develop, and achieve all the goals and whatever we have set for ourselves, we can never do it with only the men at the top, and we cannot also do it with a few women at the top,” she stressed.
Ms Kayumba also noted that though there was the need to get women to the top, they must be competent, capable and qualified to handle such top positions.
She was worried that the men dominated almost all the national, regional and even constituency positions of the various political parties in the country, except women's organisers.
She urged men to encourage women to take up such high positions.