DEVOLUTION should promote women economic empowerment and participation in national processes if the country is to achieve its economic goals, Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) director Shastry Njeru has said.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Gweru at a devolution workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance on Tuesday, Njeru said despite women constituting over 50% of the population, the majority of them were not yet economically empowered as they were being sidelined in key decision-making processes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to statistics from Zimstat [Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency], 52% of the population are women, while youths constitute 54%,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we look at such statistics, it shows that women and youths are the people, yet they are sidelined in key decision-making processes. Most importantly, if devolution involves women, it has the potential to allow (resource allocation) efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n
Njeru said research had shown that even during recession fewer banks and financial institutions run by women crashed compared to those of their male counterparts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are few women that can be branded corrupt,\u201d he said. \u201cWomen naturally respect resources that are meant for the people, while men would generally want to experiment with such things. Women, therefore, need devolution because it gives them the ability to participate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in a speech read on his behalf by the Gweru district administrator, Joram Chimedza, Local Government minister July Moyo said devolution was going to ensure that provincial economies become hubs of the national economy.<\/p>\n
Moyo said government was moving with \u201cspeed\u201d to ensure that devolution was achieved. The minister, however, warned that devolution should not be used to achieve selfish ends.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a word of caution, devolution is not a vehicle to further regionalism, tribalism or awarding tenders to preferred people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should all be united as people of one great nation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DEVOLUTION should promote women economic empowerment and participation in national processes if the country is to achieve its economic goals, Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) director Shastry Njeru has said. Speaking in Gweru at a devolution workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance on Tuesday, Njeru said despite women constituting over 50% of the population, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":8634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[83,168,380,436],"class_list":{"0":"post-9241","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-community","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-gweru","11":"tag-moyo","12":"tag-women"},"yoast_head":"\n