Gender Equality in Zimbabwe

‘Make gender equality a reality’

                               

The government should speed up the setting up of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission ensure that women are represented and accorded the respect and empowerment they deserve in society.

We have to ensure that women are represented at the highest decision making levels to ensure progress in gender equality.

As women we are standing for gender equality. Women need representation in government and the government should expedite the setting up of the Gender Commission so as to address gender disparities

Chapter 12 of The Constitution of Zimbabwe adopted in 2013 has a provision for an independent Gender Commission. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission Bill gazetted in July 2014 seeks to establish a nine member independent body but is yet to be enacted and be aligned to the supreme law of the land. 

This has resulted in delays in setting up the Gender Commission –one of the five independent commissions identified as key drivers of democracy -which is constitutionally mandated among other things to ensure gender equality and elimination of patriarchal beliefs which mostly disadvantage women and the girl child.

In the region other countires like South Africa and Kenya have set up gender commissions to address inequalities in society namely Commission for Gender Equity and National Gender and Equality Commission respectively.