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Cde Jacob Mudenda

Zvamaida Murwira:Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe has registered significant achievements in promoting and recognising gender equality and equity over the years as it has put in place necessary constitutional provisions and policies, Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said.

Adv Mudenda said this while delivering a keynote address during a signing ceremony for a “HeForShe Campaign” a global campaign launched by the United Nations Women, aimed at calling for men and boys to recognise and ensure that they use their clout to enable gender equality.

The campaign, launched on September 20, 2014 ensured that women are present, represented and participating in transforming communities, politics, economies and any other important environment that allows for any human being to thrive and prosper to their fullest potential.

Adv Mudenda said Zimbabwe has adopted several conventions and protocols and amended 17 pieces of legislation to ensure gender equality and equity.

“Within the framework provided by our new Constitution and cognisant of a plethora of regional and international declarations, Zimbabwe has all the best requirements and political will necessary in the advancement of the “HeForShe Campaign.”

“Consequently, we note that this campaign is constitutionally grounded and is rooted in international conventions, which are a compass to these laudable efforts which have led to this momentous signing ceremony,” said Adv Mudenda.

Legislators were urged to append their signatures to demonstrate their campaign to promote gender equality and equity. “We did not get this from United Nations. It was our belief here, our own Afro-centric belief through our own Constitution,” he said. “But this ‘HeForShe Campaign’ must be contextualised within our culture and tradition.

“If you don’t walk with the chiefs, you have not started your campaign. Why? It is because in our daily lives, we are all creatures of culture and tradition and our culture.”

Senate president Cde Edna Madzongwe applauded Government efforts in elevating women to become parliamentarians through the quota system.

“I am proud to note that due to the quota system, which was due to the hard work by women and civic groups during constitution making process, we have seen a significant rise in women Members of Parliament,” she said.

UN Women country representative, Mrs Delphine Serumaga said the campaign had 1,1 million persons committed, including the UN secretary-general Mr Ban Ki Moon.

“In our everyday lives, one can work on simple acts such as breaking the stereotypes around what a woman or a man is like, instead, look at the potential of an individual human being, who has a lot to offer the nation.

“We need to acknowledge that while it may not be tradition or religion, we are all born as human beings and rights of access and opportunity belong to all,” she said.

Mrs Serumaga said while there were strides made in reducing HIV infection rates and success in reaching some of the MDG goals such as reduction in maternal mortality rates, keeping the momentum and in ensuring health and social services remain key priorities within the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring that women can participate and be part of a growing society.