BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
YESTERDAY, women in Zimbabwe joined the world in celebrating the International Women’s Day, where they highlighted bottlenecks inhibiting them from entering various sectors of the economy.
The day is commemorated annually on March 8 and this year’s celebrations are being held under the theme Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World.
The theme highlights the importance of challenging biases and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administrator Achim Steiner said women should play a key role in decision-making at a global stage.
The UNDP works to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities through ensuring sustainable development of nations.
He said across the world, women were concentrated in the lowest paid jobs, many in extremely hazardous forms of employment.
Steiner said women were nearly twice as likely as men to lose their jobs during the COVID-19 crisis as the pandemic would dramatically increase poverty rates and widen the gap between men and women who live in poverty.
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“Women must have the opportunity to play a role in shaping the pivotal decisions being made right now as countries respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic — choices that will affect the wellbeing of people and the planet for generations to come,” he said.
“To do this, we must break down the deep-seated historic, cultural, and socio-economic barriers that prevent women from taking their seat at the decision-making table to make sure that resources and power are more equitably distributed,” Steiner said, adding that they were working with countries across the globe to address these inequalities.
Females in the creative sector, who spoke to NewsDay Life & Style, yesterday called for a women-friendly showbiz environment and equal opportunities with their male counterparts.
Dudu Manhenga
The Afro-jazz musician said parents should nurture and foster their children’s talent regardless of their sex, adding that it was good for women in the arts to be celebrated.
“On an occasion like this (Women’s Day), I would like to encourage parents who have children who are creative to foster and nurture that talent and gift in our children,” she said.
“It is time to break away from the stereotype that the arts sector does not pay, because it is us who make it pay. Parents should allow their children to play a huge role in the arts sector, they should allow them go to school. Parents should facilitate or finance the education within the creative sector. If they do so, it means that we will have more and more creatives who would have been schooled for that such that the sector gets the credibility it deserves. It means we have a student who will fuse that education with the gift that they have. I think that will really improve the creative sector.”
Sarah Mpofu-Sibanda
Bulawayo’s former supermodel and actress said women should not be discouraged by adversity.
“If anything, this is the time to be more assertive and crafty in our art. Don’t give up or give in. Let us stay true to our passion and strive to be even better professionals when the pandemic subsides,” she said.
“To me, everyday is Women’s Day and today being the highlight of the 360 days in which we are celebrated as women. I say viva bafazi viva and remember to always stay true to yourself and to be behind the wheel that drives your passion so that no one takes you to the wrong destination.”
Mai Charamba
Celebrated gospel musician Olivia Charamba said: “The emancipation of women around the globe is remarkably visible these days. We are thankful that the law is now protecting vulnerable children like those involved in forced or early marriages. It is a much better development that what used to be the case years ago.”
Fungisai Zvakavapano-Mashavave
Multi-award-winning gospel singer Zvakavapano-Mashavave said female artistes should rise and be self-reliant.
“The world we live in is not women-friendly. Our male counterparts are given hero statuses for singing obscenities and for abusing drugs and influencing the young generation, yet we are humiliated and undressed for being pure and for packaging socially-correct messages,” she said.
Zvakavapano-Mashavave said it took a lot of courage and hard work for women to be heard, adding women in showbiz should be determined and never tire in doing good.
“I just want to encourage women to choose to challenge the ugly status quo. There is no limit to what women can achieve as long as we work hard. Gone are the days when everything depended on what the promoter says or thinks of you. Make use of online services and social media platforms to further your works.”
Caroline Magenga
The popular actress and theatre co-ordinator at Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre said women should continue to hunger for success.
“I would want to encourage women to bring their A game and continue being hungry for success, whatever one’s perception of success might be,” she said.
“We have the skills, know-how and passion, so we just need to create the opportunities and not wait to have them handed to us because no one is going to do that. We have to grab our spotlight moment by force and I really believe that is something we can do within the arts as women.”
Enisia Mashusha
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean actress, dancer and founder of Mambokadzi dance outfit, Enisia Mashusha said women in arts should keep on supporting each other
“We cannot keep crying or complaining that we are not being recognised as women in arts. All we need to do is to keep on pushing until we get the results that we need. I believe nothing is impossible,” she said.
“We have done it before and we will do it again. Winning means different things to each of us. Stay strong, stay beautiful and stay true to yourself. Let’s keep on supporting each other as together we can.”
Zaza Muchemwa
Poet and arts manager Zaza Muchemwa said there was need to continue creating opportunities for women to fully realise who they are, their potential and their ambitions in the arts sector.
“We must continue to create safe spaces for women in private and public spaces and we must continue to develop tools that will equip women to be resilient in difficult and normal times,” she said.
“To the women out there who have the means, who have also managed to motivate and sustain themselves, I would encourage you to create space for other women to fully self-actualise.”
She said she was happy with the strides that women had been making especially in the arts, adding that there was more they could do.
“I am happy that women are taking space and they are also allowing us to imagine new forms of creative leadership and allowing us to also imagine new ways of engaging with each other so that is awesome,” she said.
Hope Masike
Afro-fusion songbird and mbira player Hope Masike said: “As my new video Tsubvubone, in celebration of the dark-skinned girls, released last Friday on my YouTube channel says, ‘to all women of the world, let’s normalise being content with how God created us, proudly and loudly so enhancing our beauty is perfectly fine except when it’s to the detriment of our health, be it physically or emotionally’.”
“To the black woman in particular, your dark skin is very beautiful just as is. Be you, beautifully so, because you were wonderfully made.”
Chido Musasiwa
Let Them Trust founder and executive director Chidochemoyo Musasiwa said: “I would like to celebrate all women in the arts hustling to stay relevant in a male-dominated environment, with COVID-19 challenges and the need to keep life-ing, staying creative and soldering on.”
Selmor Mtukudzi
The Afro-jazz songstress and Vabvana Trust founder said: “It is always a pleasure celebrating this day each year, but it is extra special when we get to celebrate each other throughout the year. Women have come a long way in being accepted and given their spot in society, and there is still more to be done to reach total equity.”
- Follow Winstone on Twitter @widzoanto
