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ZIMBABWEAN women should quickly jump onto the economic bus that is about to take off now to ensure that the majority of their lot is not left behind as has happened previously. Now that the new Government will soon assume office, indications already are that the number one priority will be the economy.

This means policies, strategies and appointments will be directed towards rejuvenating the economy.
So this is the time that women will need to be strategically positioned and be included in this process. There will be no point in crying foul when the bus leaves.

All stops should be pulled to ensure women will also be in the bus, with the right numbers and in the right seats.

This is not just about public appointments but every woman in their sphere of influence should be enabled and empowered to realise their potential.
Under the Constitution, a gender board will be established to primarily focus on creating an enabling social, political and economic environment for women.

While it is appreciated that the women’s voice in the economy has become louder and clearer in the last few years in terms of the jobs they have taken up and the business they run, it is still muted in many instances.

The phrases “economic emancipation” or “gender mainstreaming” have almost become cliché’s but there is not enough on the ground to convince the world that women are truly in the mix of things.

Zimbabwean women constitute 52 percent of the population but this demographic is not accurately reflected in the economy.
Women are increasingly becoming academically empowered and are now more enlightened but very few of them have risen to the top.

However, the incoming Government has already made clear its desire to engage more women in decision-making positions and processes. Zimbabwe is already a signatory to several regional and continental gender policies.

The economy is pregnant with opportunities that need to be exploited and the economy will be poorer if women are left behind.
Challenges besetting the economy will need a convergence of minds to craft lasting solutions hence the need for men and women to work congruently.

In its manifesto, Zanu-PF, which resoundingly won the mandate to run this country for the next five years, pledged to continue working towards the empowering of women.

It would not be harmful to hold the party to account.
“Zanu-PF has raised the status of women by championing gender equality through laws, empowerment programmes and promotion of women in sectors and positions previously held by men only.

Examples include a woman Vice President since 2005, female judges and pilots, to mention a few.
“The party will consolidate programmes to economically empower women, build strong families and develop communities where men and women, boys and girls are equal partners and beneficiaries in development ,” read part of Zanu-PF’s election manifesto.

It is reassuring to note that the party leadership has said its promises were not just hot air but that it will surely deliver.
Women do have the wherewithal to get the economy going and it is quite apparent now that the future of the country’s and the world economy lies increasingly in female hands and there is need for them to take the bull by the horns  .

When big deals are being sealed women should be there. When joint venture agreements are being negotiated we need to see women there!
Research has shown that globally, women are becoming more assertive but there is still a long way to go.

In rich countries, women are now better in school than boys and that’s a sure sign of the  tipping of the scales. In these countries and most others elsewhere, more women are getting university degrees than men are and are filling most new jobs.

As alluded to earlier, a lot has been done both  locally and at international level for the emancipation of women, but it is only the tip of the iceberg and the women themselves need to add more fuel to  this burning embers. Zimbabwean women please note.

Arguably women are now the most powerful  engine of global growth and Zimbabwean women should be no exception.
In the 1950s, only a third of American women had a  paying job, now  two-thirds do and women now make up almost half of America’s  workforce.
“Talk about  Girl Power!”

It is sad though to note that in some countries the feminisation of  the workplace still has a long way to go, even in countries such as Italy and Japan where women’s share of jobs is still 40 percent or less. The increase of female employment in developed  countries has been aided in part by a big  shift in the types of jobs on offer.

Manufacturing work, traditionally a male preserve,  has declined, while jobs in services have expanded .
This has reduced demand for manual labour and puts the sexes on a more equal  footing.

In the developing world, too, more women now have paid jobs.
In the emerging East Asian economies, for every 100 men in the labour force, there  are 83  women, higher even than the average  in OECD countries.

Locally, policies have been put in place  to promote women in the workplace and this is laudable but a lot more needs to be done if  these women are too take full advantage of these pro-women policies.

In developed countries  women produce just under 40 percent of GDP, but if the worth of housework is added; valuing the hours worked at the average wage rates of a home help or maid then women probably produce slightly more than half of total output.

Back of the envelope calculations suggest that the employment of extra women has not only added more to GDP than new jobs for men but has also chipped in more to either capital investment or increased productivity .

In America 140 women enrol in higher education each year for every 100 men in Sweden, the number is as high as 150. In years to come, better educated women will make more of the top jobs.

At present, for example more women than men train to be doctors and lawyers but relatively few are surgeons or practitioners.
The main reason why women still get paid less on average than men is not that they are paid less but that they tend not to climb so far up the career ladder, or they choose lower paid occupations such as  teaching or nursing.

In God I Trust!

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