Women’s Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya yesterday bragged about leading former State Vice-President Joice Mujuru and MDC-T vice-president Thokozani Khupe at the United Nations Women in Politics seminar, saying she felt important leading the delegation.
BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA
Officiating at the Revised National Gender Policy launch, Chikwinya urged women not to be scared, but to be bold and join politics.
“We were at the UN as women leaders in politics. We had women like Mujuru, Khupe and many others and I was the head of the delegation. I was feeling myself that I am the boss here and these are now my juniors,” she said.
“Do not be scared or be afraid of anyone. We do not want people who are afraid, rise up to the occasion, but with respect. We want to work with women in Parliament, women who are bold and able. Many women do not want to do the dirty work. They are scared of getting into politics. We do not want women who are weak at heart.”
She also encouraged women to be bold and rise up to positions that were regarded to be for men.
“Zimbabwe has come of age, and as we grow, we now have a new mandate to fight yet another war which is different from the war of liberation, but a war to liberate the women from the bondage of oppression in all spheres,” Chikwinya said.
Zimbabwe Gender Commission chairperson Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe, also speaking at the same event, said they had noted with concern that while the legal and policy framework was in place, structural barriers to gender equality and gender-based discrimination still persisted in the country.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
She said the gaps were rooted in historically unequal power relations between women and men, which were further being reinforced through patriarchal socialisation.
“As the gender commission, we will be seized with addressing so many challenges affecting the full realisation of gender equality in our country and in society,” Sangarwe said.
She said challenges included the embedded impact of patriarchy on institutions, access to control and ownership by women of productive resources and limited participation of women in politics and other levels of decision-making.
The new policy incorporates issues to do with constitutional rights, economic empowerment, politics and decision-making, health, education and training, gender-based violence, environment and climate change, media information communication and technology, gender and disability and culture and religion.
The policy was also printed in braille.
