Progress of gender parity in public life has stalled

WE have just celebrated the 2024 edition of the International Women’s Day under the theme: “Invest in women and girls, accelerate progress

My takeaway observations relate to the Non-governmental Gender Coordinating Council (NGOCC) still celebrating the appointment of Ms Mutale Nalumango as Vice President, Ms Nelly Mutti as first female Speaker of the National Assembly and Professor Margaret Munalula as the first female head of the Constitutional Court.

I recognise that these are important milestones in women participation in public life (or politics), but I do not support that NGOCC or the broader women movement should continue celebrating them.

These appointments were made almost three years ago and therefore are behind us now. Their continued celebration is an indicator that the Gender Agenda has stalled.

NGOCC leaders across the country also hailed the loans and grants for female empowerment under the CDF. This well-intended policy reform is now in urgent need of reform.

The evaluation studies by organisations of repute such as JCTR (2023) and CTDP (2023) have revealed administrative challenges facing women groups in accessing the loans and grants to boost their projects.

The innovation in celebrating this year’s celebration was done in Chipata where women drawn from the Catholic Church and Reformed Church in Zambia had joint overtime prayers to petition to God to protect the womanhood as image of God.

Otherwise, the rest were the usual and common rituals that mark the International Women’s Day.

MIKE CHUNGU.