Civil society calls for gender equality in Zimbabwe

The women movement in Zimbabwe, last month under the auspices of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) made a bold call to the new government to uphold its regional and international obligations of gender equality.This followed the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe after a military takeover and the inauguration of Emmerson Mnangagwa as his successor.The call was made at a people’s convention that took place the same day as the inauguration of the new President where different sectors outlined their demands to the new government. The women’s movement made the following demands;

• Access to affordable, acceptable, accessible, social and public services; namely housing, education, health and social protection mechanisms delivered through inclusive, responsive and accountable administrative systems.
• People centred and gender responsive macro-economic policies that create and protect decent jobs, tax justice, financial inclusion and equitable access to productive resources.
• An inclusive and women centred governance architecture which includes equal representation and participation of women in politics and decision making with strengthened state institutions whose mandate promote democracy and human rights.
• Accelerating the enforcement of measures to eradicate all forms of violence against women in the home, communities, in the workplace, in public spaces and political affairs.                                                                                                                                                                                      Read the full declaration here