Women’s participation in politics crucial
ELECTORAL amendments supported by the Constitution and Africa Charter on Democracy Elections and Governance (ACDEG) are crucial in paving way for women’s full participation in politics.
It is high time a sustainable and resilient framework to mitigate barricades on the rise of women in politics and other leadership positions is propelled.
Gender balance in politics and leadership positions remains contentious not only in Zimbabwe, but the world over.
Glass ceiling is a popular expression that women in politics have been striving to break for decades. Gender parity, primarily in politics, is important. Therefore, there is need for women’s participation in politics and at the workplace in key decision-making positions. A woman’s enemy should not be another woman, instead women should support each other. Considering their total percentage population in Zimbabwe, it is high time women stop being voters only, but rather contest in all key spheres.
Despite hurdles, the principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Zimbabwean Constitution in its various sections on Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. The Constitution not only grants equality to women, but also empowers the State to adopt measures of positive discrimination in favour of women.
Nevertheless, the Constitution clearly considers and supports gender balances in all spheres. Section 56 (Part 1) articulates equality and non-discrimination, insisting that all persons are equal before the law and have the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Part (2) further states that women and men have the right to equal treatment, including the right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social domains.
And Part (3) guarantees that every person has the right not to be treated in an unfairly discriminatory manner on such grounds as nationality, race, colour, tribe, place of birth, ethnic or social origin, language, class, religious belief, political affiliation, opinion, custom, culture, sex, gender, marital status, age, pregnancy, disability, economic or social status, or whether they were born in or out of wedlock.
Zimbabwe has maintained a good pathway in ratifying crucial international and regional instruments. The 2008 SADC Gender and Development Protocol that advocates for, inter alia 50/50 gender parity in decision-making positions at all levels of development, and which Zimbabwe’s Parliament ratified in 2009, requires domestication through constitutional reforms.
The right of women and men to participate equally in political and public life is also enshrined in several international human rights instruments and treaties such as International human rights tools and treaties, the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and not living out the ratification and signing of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance by President Mnangagwa in Kigali, Rwanda, on March 21, 2018. This shows the President’s commitment as he said: “Zimbabwe’s signing of the Charter was to endorse paramount practices in the management of elections, and to maintain political stability and good governance as well as strengthening political pluralism and recognising the role of human rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties, including opposition political parties, and be given a status under national law.”
More so, the Parliament of Zimbabwe ratified the ACDEG with an endeavour to enhance quality of elections in Africa, strengthen political and economic social governance and rule of law as well as promote human rights.
Furthermore, Chapter 3, Article 3 Part 6 of the articles of the Africa Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) notes that there should be promotion of gender equality in public and private institutions. This shows that there is no democracy without empowering women, as supported by Chapter 2 objectives of the ACDEG Article 2; objective number 11, which seeks to promote gender balance and equality in governance and development processes.
Zimbabwe has already made prodigious progress on implementation of provisions of the Constitution, ACDEG as well as the SADC protocols, where we see the momentous headways of advocacy for the proportional representation to both the Senate and National Assembly whereby people vote for party and constituencies shared through the Zebra system.
In paving way for comprehensive poise for women representation and participation, impressive implementation processes have been put forward by the Government of Zimbabwe.
There are women occupying key positions in institutions such as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), whose chairperson is Justice Priscilla Chigumba; Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), chaired by Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo; and the Zimbabwe Gender Commissioner led by Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe.
There are also women in key ministries and the Senate, like Honourable Monica Mutsvangwa (Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services), Honourable Ellen Gwaradzimba (Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs) and Honourable Jane Chifamba, among others.
Not forgetting also, the president of the opposition MDC-T party, Dr Thokozani Khupe.
Although the idea of women’s quota is commendable, it should be extended to local councils, in addition to creating a sustainable environment for women representation and participation in all spheres. There should be 50 percent of constituencies reserved for women candidates, based on capability regardless of party affiliation.
Under women’s quota or proportional representation, there are 48 women from eight provinces representing different political parties. This shows that women are being given a chance in political circles, though there is need for an extension on their quota in the National Assembly.
In addition, civil society organisations in Zimbabwe also have been playing a crucial role in advocating for women’s participation in political affairs.
ActionAid Zimbabwe has programmes which equip women with information on law and policy making; and their influence in politics, decision-making and implementation. Women Coalition also seeks to empower women and girls in politics. Southern Africa Development Community Council of Non-Governmental Organisations seeks to uphold and encourage good governance in all countries in the SADC region.
In a bid to effectively empower women, Zimbabwe Gender Commission recently held a conference on consensus building on expansion of the Constitutional quota system, and other electoral amendments on gender balance, which raised a gleam of hope for women in politics.
The agenda was to come up with consolidated propositions in making sure there is gender equality in political corridors.
The conference was attended by women representatives from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the public sector, Government ministries and development partners as well as women parliamentarians, traditional leaders, youth organisations, religious organisations and civil society.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission Margaret Mukahanana–Sangarwe lauded Government’s efforts to empower women through constitutional provisions. She indicated that equality in political representation and participation has been evaded for long.
“Women in Zimbabwe are facing discrimination and inequalities in politics, at the workplace and other spheres, which has not only hurt them, but whole communities and countries.
“However, we call for amendment of the Electoral Act, to include and obligate political parties to submit lists with equal representation for men and women at both national and local government levels in accordance with Section 17 of the Constitution,” said Commissioner Mukahanana-Sangarwe. For women to be recognised in leadership positions, the electoral commission has a duty to play in ensuring that all political parties abide by laws and regulations. The Finance Act should pave way for women to be included in campaign budgets.
Honourable Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga extolled the gesture emphasising that regardless of political affiliation, women should be honest and transparent to each other in politics for them to move forward.