International Women’s Day: Open spaces for women in leadership & influence Participants at the #HeForShe Impact Summit for diplomats and business leaders held at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe

Sifelani Tsiko

Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor

Women need to take powerful conversation on gender equality to the influential space to get people in decision-making levels to understand their issues, foster a strong and dynamic environment for them to thrive, UN Women Country Representative Delphine Serumaga says.

Serumaga told participants on Tuesday at ‘#HeForShe Campaign’ – impact summit for diplomats and business leaders in the capital that breaking into the influential space will help to get more people in leadership position talking more about gender equality.

“We need to go into that influential space and tap into whatever power and influence these people have to get them to voice women’s issues and support all initiatives towards gender equality,” she said.

“Conversations in high places should advocate for women’s issues and foster conducive environments for women and men to have a productive conversation about gender equality. Discussions should be not about seeing women as victims but as half of the nation that has a space in our quest for gender equality.”

The ‘#HeForShe Campaign’ – is 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.

Speaking at the same event, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries vice president Mucha Mkanganwi said there was need for a mindset shift in terms of how the Zimbabwean society viewed boys and girls.

“Women and men are different but equal. We have lots of strong businesses run by women which are profitable. Women too can play an important role in the economic development of our country,” he said.

“We need to challenge son-ship. When it comes to heritage and continuity in business, most people in Zimbabwe choose boys. Our societies are changing and there is need for mind-shift to instill a greater understanding of gender equality principles among boys and girls.”

Mkanganwi said there was need to talk more about gender equality principles in the home to promote gender equality both in schools and in the broader community.

“We need more conversations about the girl child’s rights to inheritance and continuity. The world is changing and the girl child must be brought into the conversation.”

The #HeForShe Impact Summit was hosted by the British Embassy and UN Women together with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) in commemoration of the International Women’s Day.

It brought together diplomatic leaders – heads of missions and heads of agencies in Zimbabwe, business leaders and other #HeForShe key stakeholders to discuss gender equality and women’s empowerment issues.

Discussions touched on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and opportunities for Zimbabwean women in trade, financing for gender equality and women’s empowerment and prevention of sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation in the workplace.

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