Stakeholders urged to work together in championing women’s rights

Harare (New Ziana) –There is need for stakeholders to work together in empowering and transforming the lives of women and girls, a Cabinet Minister said on Monday.

Addressing stakeholders ahead of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa said the government, Parliament, civil society organizations and the private sector should collaborate in protecting the rights of women and children.

She said the need to prepare the Zimbabwe delegation to New York for the 68th session of the CSW that will take place from 11 to 22 March next year, and also give feedback on the Africa Document that came from the Africa Pre-CSW68 consultative meeting in Ethiopia last month.

“As Government we attended the African Union Pre CSW meetings. The Africa- Pre CSW68 Ministerial Consultative Meeting was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the 14th of November 2023 which was preceded by the Experts meeting which was held from the 8th to the 09th of November 2023. The priority theme for CSW68 is, “Accelerating the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls by addressing poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective,” she said.

The objective of the Pre CSW meetings was to review and adopt the Common Africa Position (CAP) for CSW68.

Mutsvangwa said the Africa Position was prepared and presented by the Technical Experts, and agreement was reached on how Africa will be organized to speak with one voice at the Global CSW68.

“The meetings were to also build consensus among African countries around issues pertinent to gender equality and empowerment of women and girls with a view to promote a unified approach and adopt a common agenda on gender equality and women empowerment so as to inform global platforms at CSW68,” she said.

She said during the consultative meetings she managed to push for the issue of HIV/AIDS and the accountability of non-state actors for financing for gender equality to be included in the Common Africa Position.

“Noting that HIV/AIDS was one of the pandemics that inhibited the participation of women and exacerbating issues of poverty to women, I also highlighted that as a country we have made great strides in responding to HIV/AIDS and has achieved 92-92-95 percentage targets close to the target of 95-95-95 percentage target,” she said.

The disproportionate amount of care and domestic work performed by women limits their time, access to decent work, quality education and health care, she said.

This deprivation can also be seen in women unequal access to land and productive assets, finance, and in the restriction of their ability to participate fully and meaningfully and be included in policy decision making processes, including on issues of financing, said Mutsvangwa.

“It is therefore imperative to look beyond the level and growth of national output and income, employment and inflation to address issues of well-being and human rights of people. This would require actions including measuring the value of unpaid care and domestic work to the economy, increasing investment in critical social infrastructure, and ensuring universal access to affordable, quality care services.

“To transform the status and condition of women, there must be a recognition of the need to transform policies and services of public institutions with a view to promote transparency and access to information, which is both timely and accessible, so that people, including women living in poverty, can act based on knowledge of their rights,” she said.

Mutsvangwa said strong internal policies and accountability systems for women living in poverty are required as well as deliberate policies and processes which facilitate the effective realisation of women human rights should be put in place.

She said as a country, Zimbabwe has already initiated preparations for participation at CSW68.

“As the Zimbabwe delegation, we are expected to work together for our side events to be a success. I hope this relationship that we have built will not end after CSW68, but will continue as we endeavour to empower our women and girls in our country,” she said.

New Ziana