WLSA Legal Programme Officer, Dorcas Makaza, told The Zimbabwean that they were working with women from Binga to take up leadership positions in politics. She said most women were not interested in running for political office because they did not have the resources to use for campaigning, or because they prioritised their family and home.
“Women are confined to the home due to socio-cultural practices. Economic dependence on men is an obstacle to women’s participation as they often do not have the means of exercising their rights,” she said.
As part of their training, women from Binga recently toured Parliament and had an opportunity to interact with female parliamentarians. “We took the women for a tour so that they could at least be exposed to the running of Parliament. Most of them did not understand what it meant to be a parliamentarian. Most women are afraid of the violence that often characterises politics in Zimbabwe, so they do not want to be involved. It was an eye opener as they had no idea what a parliament looked like,” said Makaza.
“At the end of the training we want to be having women parliamentarians. We will assist them with all the resources they need in campaigning,” Makaza said. Some of the women have expressed an interest in taking up leadership positions following their interaction with female parliamentarians.
She urged women to take advantage of the national drive to include women on an equal footing with men in politics and decision making. “We will continue to sensitize and advocate for women to take up leadership positions. We have noted that the level of awareness is improving significantly – such that women are already taking up leadership positions in most parts of the country,” she added.
WLSA is a Southern African Feminist and human rights organisation that coordinates and supports evidence based interventions to promote and protect women and girls rights through legal and policy reform and changes to discriminatory socio-cultural practices.
Post published in: News