Zimbabwean women unrepresented in politics

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network conducted a workshop in Mutare this week to review the harmonized election that was conducted in March 2008. The workshop was conducted with journalist and several non governmental representatives.

In this workshop several voices that represent different organizations and media houses were raised. The contentious issue among that was discussed was gender and electoral system. The director of Women Trust Luta Shaba raised concern with the under representation of women in politics. Shaba said that, “the holding of regular free and fair elections is recognized as one of the cornerstone of democratic governance. Gender equality is an integral component of democracy”

However, Shaba added that the local central statistical office puts the population estimate of Zimbabwe at 13 million. Of this population, 75 percent live in rural areas and of that rural based population 60 percent of 75 percent of them are women. Shaba contested the undermining of women by a patriarchal society in politic and said that, “ Traditionally women have owned and controlled fewer resources than men and this places them at a disadvantage compared to their male counterparts when they decide to run for public office.

In March 2008 harmonized elections in the senatorial position 56 women contested and only 20 made it. In the parliamentary posts 0ut of 116 women who contested only 30 made it.Given the fact that Zimbabwean population is dominated by women who constitute 52 percent the raise figures present a unfair balanced as compared to their male counterparts.

Again all the main political parties in Zimbabwe gave women a raw deal which remains as a contested terrain. Shaba, the Director for Women Trust told the journalist that , “ Political parties remain largely male enclaves where women are seen as being there mainly to provide support but not the lead. In addition, Shaba said it is mostly the men in the parties who decide whose candidature gets supported”.

Honorable Paul Mangwana who represent the Chibi constituency said that, “women should stop crying foul over man and should create their own party if there are not happy about their treatment from the parties they represent”.

The political parties are under no obligation to ensure gender equality or representation in their parties. The manifestos and constitutions of the two major political parties ZANU PF and MDC-T in Zimbabwe mention gender and generally demonstrate good gender analysis of development issues, but fail to develop and adopt or consistently implement firm measures to reflect commitment to gender equality and systematic approach to women's political involvement and participation, said Shaba.

It is important for Zimbabwe as a nation to instill democracy that includes the participation of women in all walk of life. Zimbabwe has acceded to international conventions and has ratified others to address the concerns of women. Practical despite those conventions women are contentiously unrepresented. The SADC Protocol accept the percentage of women in public office from 30 percent to 50 percent.

In addition, the African Union Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa established equality between men and women, interpreted to 50 percent in decision making bodies. This protocol requires state parties to adhere to this principle and put into place measures for its realization.

Shaba also complained that sometimes men bares women in politics by using educational qualifications. This raised debate as to whether leadership is only measured in educational forms or in charismatic one. Most journalist queried with Shaba and said that although men undermines women it is not true that education is highly over emphasized to pit women to assume political posts.