THE Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) this year dealt with 18 cases of gender-based violence and matrimonial disputes from both men and women.
BY VENERANDA LANGA
ZGC chairperson Margaret Sangarwe appeared before the Biata Nyamupinga-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs and Gender recently where she disclosed that her commission needed $5 million for its programmes, but were promised $1,4 million for 2018.
She had appeared before Parliament to speak on the commission’s performance up to September 2017 and their bids for the 2018 budget.
She said despite underfunding from Treasury in 2017 where they received $550 000 from the $1,1 million budgetary allocation, they managed to do dialogue sessions on gender issues in Mudzi, Gwanda, Mutasa and Chivi.
“There is need for more dialogue with people in terms of encouraging political participation by women and, if resources are available, the commission must go to district level to engage in dialogue with people on gender issues,” Sangarwe said.
“We felt that we need to liaise with the private sector so that there is gender equity so that women hold positions as board members in the private sector as well as leadership posts.”
Sangarwe said there was a big gender imbalance in terms of women sitting in boardrooms, adding the commission was now in the process of creating a database and women’s directory which will list women that are capable of sitting as board members of companies and government departments so that they could be appointed to boards.
- 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 in most companies and government department boards, few women managed to make it while men made a majority of board members. The commission would also push for amendments to the Electoral Act to ensure that when political parties submit their candidates for elections there would be a 50/50 gender balance.
“We are trying to influence political parties so that they present more women candidates for political power by looking at their manifestos and constitutions to ensure they conform to the 50/50 gender ratio. With the support of United Nations Women, we will come up with amendments to the Electoral Act so that it becomes mandatory for political parties to subscribe to the 50/50 gender composition,” she said.
Sangarwe said ZGC also encouraged universities to come up with manuals on how to deal with sexual harassment at their institutions as it was rampant.
