ZIMBABWE can only succeed in turning around its waning economic fortunes if women are afforded the opportunity to actively participate in creating sustainable solutions, a Ministry of Women Affairs official has said.<\/p>\n
Statistics from the Women Affairs ministry indicate that 51,9% of Zimbabwe\u2019s population were women constituting 53% of the 5,7 million people working in the micro, small-to-medium enterprises sector which contributes much to the nation\u2019s gross domestic product growth.<\/p>\n
Addressing a national rural women\u2019s convention in Harare yesterday, acting director in the Community Department in the Women Affairs ministry, Christina Chideme said women could guide and contribute to future policies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot be successful unless women are empowered to actively participate in the solutions: female-driven solutions,\u201d Chideme said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only can they inspire, innovate and create solutions, but they can guide and contribute to future policies, research and programming.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chideme said if Zimbabwe failed to address women\u2019s differentiated needs and aspirations, the nation would be lost, with its hope, prosperity, peace and security.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccess to education has a greater impact on women\u2019s potential access to productive, income-generating opportunities and more decent work, because of the resultant increased confidence and skills to negotiate for better conditions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Improving access to credit was an effective strategy to women empowerment, while access to new technologies was also essential in strengthening women\u2019s agro-productivity and economic enterprises through accessing information on credits, inputs markets as well as health services, she noted.<\/p>\n
In a related development, Old Mutual has relaunched its Old Mutual Women\u2019s Network (OWN) after years of inaction as it celebrates International Women\u2019s Day.<\/p>\n
The network, which, according to OWN Zimbabwe chapter champion Nqobile Munzara, is motivated by Celewe Ross\u2019 words, \u201cWhen women gather in numbers, change erupts\u201d, is a forum for working class women to meet and share ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2013, Old Mutual PLC launched a women\u2019s network. It\u2019s primary purpose was to establish a forum where women in the workplace can connect, network, share knowledge, advocate and create opportunities for mentorship,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Munzara further pointed out that they have regrouped, and were agitating for action on women\u2019s issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year we have aligned ourselves with the theme of International Women\u2019s Day #BalanceForBetter, a call for action for women and men across the globe to seek better balance in their lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the sidelines of the relaunch, guest speaker Thembe Khumalo commended the move.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is very progressive to see companies like Old Mutual take time to do things for women, with 56% women in senior management positions, they are most likely to do well because companies with women in top positions are certainly poised for greatness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is also refreshing to see younger women coming up, aiming higher and also to see women in charge. This makes it a real and possible aspiration.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Old Mutual Women\u2019s network relaunch was concurrently done in six locations around the country where the Zimbabwean Chapter of the network joined the rest of the Old Mutual member countries in reviving the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ZIMBABWE can only succeed in turning around its waning economic fortunes if women are afforded the opportunity to actively participate in creating sustainable solutions, a Ministry of Women Affairs official has said. Statistics from the Women Affairs ministry indicate that 51,9% of Zimbabwe\u2019s population were women constituting 53% of the 5,7 million people working in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":1381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[91,358,436,75],"class_list":{"0":"post-5201","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-economy","9":"tag-harare","10":"tag-research","11":"tag-women","12":"tag-zimbawe-policies"},"yoast_head":"\n