Zimbabwean women and the constitution debate

AS the constitutional debate rages on in Zimbabwe, women have been urged to unite so that their contributions are well incorporated.

In May Vice President Joyce Mujuru implored lawmakers to include women in the drafting of a new Constitution to ensure that they do not remain marginalised.

She made the remarks during an Indigenous Business Women’s Organisation stakeholders’ meeting that ran under the theme ‘Emancipation and Economic Empowerment of Women and their Role in the Development of the Economy’.

According to women activists in Zimbabwe, “the current constitution makes men more equal than women, setting the basis for inequality in terms of the law. That inequality, negatively affects women and children when national resources are allocated”.

Senate President Edna Madzongwe has also underscored the need for women parliamentarians to play a role in constitution making. 

She made this call while addressing participants at a four-day workshop organised by Women in Politics Support Unit. She said the drafting of a new constitution was a golden opportunity for them to reclaim their space as equal citizens to their male counterparts in terms of the law.

Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU) director Cleo Ndlovu says: “We hope that this coming constitution will recognise us as equal citizens to our male counterparts and eliminate all forms of discrimination against women.”

Deputy Prime minister Thokozani Khupe says while women constituted 52% and contributed 80% to GDP, they remained in the minority in terms of their direct contribution to economic development.

She made this observation during a gathering to mark this year’s women international day.

The Short Term Economic Recovery Programme launched in March has however raised hopes for women as it includes a section focusing on de-marginalisation of women through specific and concrete gender mainstreaming policies and programmes in every sector and facet of Zimbabwean life.

Vice Chancellor of the Women’s University in Zimbabwe, Professor Hope Sadza has urged government to enact policies that ensure equity between men and women in both the business and political sphere. 

She said women have been marginalised for too long and it was time for legislators to enact laws and policies that help reinstate the status in both the political and business world.

“We have a crisis in Zimbabwe especially at the work place were women in particular are failing to recognise their full potential as business leaders,” she said at a workshop in Harare to mark Women’s Day.

This is despite that women in Zimbabwe are well presented in the current government. They hold the deputy Presidency and deputy Prime minister-ship posts, among the highest political office.

There are also five female cabinet ministers in the current inclusive government; Sithembiso Nyoni, Olivia Muchena, Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga, Theresa Makoni and Purina  Gwanyanya Mpariwa.

Women activists in Zimbabwe say the current economic problems affected them as they had to fend for families.

Zimbabwe’s living standards have declined by 150% within the last decade, a survey by the public service and social welfare ministry.

The Food Poverty Line for a family of five stood at US$552 in January according to the Central Statistical Office. A national statistics agency which also calculates inflation in March said of the US$552, US$177 was needed for food.

This average family will need to spend US$375 on basics such as accommodation, transport to and from work, school fess. There is no provision of other basics.

Between 1995 and 2003, more than 63% of rural people could not obtain enough money to meet both basic food and non-food requirements.