Politics & General News

Political space for women shrinking in Zimbabwe

 

The political space  for women within the dominant political parties is shrinking as attested by the number of women who lost their political power since 2013 elections. With the 2018 elections pegged for July, the election  landscape is becoming non existence, as some political parties, mainly MDC T, which is now involved in a war between Nelson Chamisa and  Thokozani Khupe on who should lead the opposition after the death of Morgan Tsvangirayi. According to the latest BVR  statistics recently released, there is a total of 5,185,109 registered voters in Zimbabwe, with  2,361,130 as registered male voters and 2,823,942 registered female voters. According to the latest BVR statistics women constitute 52.4 percent of registered voters in Zimbabwe, therefore they should constitute a larger number of Member of Parliament, councillors and Cabinet Ministers as they have a bigger say according to the number of votes cast if it is to go by the number of registered voters on the list. Women in Zimbabwe form only 4.3 percent of councillors and the figure is dwindling in  each election. Even female cabinet ministers are getting few compared to the last elections. In the current cabinet, Zimbabwe has three female Ministers.

“We are invited to political meetings but all we are expected to do is listen, clap, sing, chant slogans, look pretty and feed people. Women are easily manipulated by some dishonest power hungry men. Promised money for projects and given food handouts. As women are in the weakest socio economic positions, like the underprivileged , they either not find voting relevant or they easily persuaded to vote for older men as most women lack organisational skills to venture into politics or lead a political party”, said Theresa Sibindi from Torwood.

She also said most women as people whose economic social and political status is low, women lack the awareness of their worth and potential . Most women in difficult circumstances become submissive accepting the domination of older men and wishing to please them in order to survive. Many women lack confidence to stand for higher positions. Women decision makers lack a support system. Some highly educated women are not interested in politics when it excludes issues of concern to them. Most rural women are too busy with agriculture, domestic work and child care and their time to delve into politics full time is limited. Culturally there are still some prejudices against women participating in decision making by those people who feel it is traditional to treat women as subject to traditional beliefs and norms. The cause of women’s inferior status and unequal gender relations are deeply rooted in history, religion, culture, psychology, law, political system, institutions, attitudes and economic conditions also help to suppress the advancement of women into politics. Women in political parties need to be empowered in order to find the right language to speak.

According to the recently launched Women Manifesto 2018-2023, the manifesto is a tool that promotes the 50-50 Advocacy Campaign. There is need to fix the gender disparity problems, there is need to address the very cultures that define them.

“We also  then understand that beyond the legislative issue. It is also about culture. A culture that sits within political parties. We have more than 20 political parties here who have sent in  people from within their women and executive structures, to begin to hold political parties responsible questioning why they are not doing what they are supposed to do. It is within this context that we have decided to empower women in political parties, to find the right language to speak and that is where the Women’s Manifesto comes in”, said Member of Parliament and Chairperson for the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Priscilla Misihairambwi- Mushonga.

Gender bias is deeply embedded in many cultures, economies, political and social institutions around the world. With female political leaders present, female citizens may feel empowered and confident to engage more in discussions that shape their communities and the economy.

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