Govt to promote more women empowerment

THE Government will continue to promote policies and practices that place women in decision-making positions to ensure economic growth and development.

Speaking at the Sheroars Zimbabwe Young Women’s Conference in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Government has strived to put women on an even footing with their male counterparts since independence. Women have to be part of decision-making processes in both business and politics as they make up more than half the country’s population, she said.

“Total empowerment of women in any society is very important and Government, since independence, has put in place numerous policies that seek to empower and emancipate women all over the country. During the colonial era, women were double oppressed and even with women empowerment policies enacted after independence, gaps were still there.

“So during the recent constitution-making process, we advocated for the women’s parliamentary quota system after realising that most women did not have enough resources and skills to compete with their male counterparts. We now have more than 123 women parliamentarians out of 350, which is a great improvement that we must applaud as women.”

She said more women still need to venture particularly into politics in order to fight for the girl-child.

“Apart from the political arena, we want to see women in business, in sports, in all different sectors.”

Government, she added, would provide the requisite skills and enabling environment for women to climb to top leadership positions.

“The greatest challenge that we face today is that while there is a sizeable number of women participating in leadership roles, there is a huge gap in terms of capacitating them. This is why I think this conference is coming at the right time and focusing on an important subject — capacitation of young women. His Excellency, the President, you can see that he is affording huge opportunities to women by giving them various leadership roles.

“Look at the Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and key institutions and you will appreciate that the New Dispensation has done a tremendous job in consciously empowering women by giving them key decision-making positions.”

Sheroars founder Ms Ruvimbo Nyikadzino said the empowerment of young women was important for any society to develop.