Prior to the formation of the government of national unity, women pressure groups such as Women in Politics Support Unit (WiPSU) advocated for a 30 per cent representation of women in leadership positions. The calls were watered down by all the three main political parties, Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations.
Hence, pressure groups advocating for women to take up leadership roles in the countrys political hive, foresee a narrow window for women to rise through the ranks and files of politics in the country. WiPSU programmes manager, Patricia Muwandi, said, Achieving the 50/50 quota system by 2015 as enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development is impossible. The remains far from reality since the country failed to achieve the previously proposed 30 per cent quota system as Zanu (PF) and the two MDC formations gave in to male protests.
She said only the new constitutional draft could elevate women to take up leadership positions if the process is not compromised. Muwandi said, We are hopeful that if the results of the constitutional review process translate into the writing of a new constitution that is gender sensitive and upholds a 50/50 representation of women in governance, womens struggles for equal representation would have been half won.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to many declarations such as the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development of 1997, CEDAW of 1979 and the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. However, the declarations remain void since the countrys supreme law
does not provide specific legislative instruments that guarantee womens legal and constitutional rights.
Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Jessie Majome said Zimbabwes failure to have a 50/50 quota system was caused by the countrys constitution, which she said was not gender sensitive. Zimbabwe has one of the worst constitutions in the world in terms of womens rights. The constitution gives license to women abuse and it fails to provide equality, she said.
MDC-T spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa said, We are trying to populate gender participation at all levels. As MDC-T we are firm believers of affirmative action and advancement of women in all decision-making positions. Empowering women starts with the new constitution and MDC-T feels that the new supreme law should be gender sensitive in order to win the 50/50 quota battle.
However, efforts to attain at least 30 per cent representation of women in political party leadership, cabinet and parliament always come to naught due to the death of gender acquaintance within political parties.
Post published in: News