Men, women must share home duties
AS part of commemorating this year's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which ran under the theme Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect, Women Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (Walpe) conducted a series of activities to advocate for an end to all forms of violence against women in politics. The organisation also took advantage of the opportunity to advocate for women's participation in political processes, and also recognised women political leaders who have made outstanding achievements, and also honoured those who have been persecuted for being human rights, civil and political activists.
Below is a list of the activities Walpe conducted:
• Press statement on the state of wellbeing of women human rights defenders and political activists in Zimbabwe.
On November 25 2020, Walpe released a statement on the state of wellbeing of women human rights defenders and political activists in Zimbabwe detailing how both covert and overt violence is affecting the participation of women in leadership and decision making processes.
Cases of torture, arbitrary arrests, assault, abductions, sexual violence and online violence against women in politics have been rampant in 2020 and exacerbated by the COVID19 induced lockdown and restrictions.
• Radio programme: Implications of violence on women and women with disabilities' participation in leadership and decision making processes
• Documentary on the impact of violence on women's right to participate and represent.
The organisation released a documentary on November 26 detailing the impact of unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW) and violence on women's participation and representation in leadership and decision making processes.
Women human rights defenders and political activists were interviewed and they clearly narrated how these two challenges continue to affect their full participation in leadership.
• Male engagement on UCDW and eradication of all forms of violence against women and girls.
The majority of women bear the brunt of UCDW to a point where they cannot do other productive or profitable work as compared to their male counterparts.
Key takeaways from the discussion include:
• Men taking up some of the duties that are done by women at home.
• To spread awareness around UCDW and how men and boys can ease the burden on women and girls.
• To lobby the government to put in place policy frameworks on UCDW.
• Government to give grants to women for taking care of children.
• Both men and women should advocate and push for women to be in top leadership positions.
• To raise awareness in communities on the ills of GBV.
• Men to work hand in glove with women in pushing for the enactment of a sexual harassment policy that protects women and women in politics from all forms of harassment.