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Ishemunyoro Chingwere Business Reporter 
Women entrepreneurs in the construction industry have launched a representative lobby group —  “WomenBuild” — which will be tasked with making sure women marginalisation in infrastructure building and utilities cluster is halted.

The WomenBuild programme will dedicate time to the practical education, development and empowerment of women in the infrastructure, building and construction and utilities industry.

The programme seeks to activate processes, systems and activities that will empower women in this strategic cluster.  Speaking at the launch recently, WomenBuild chairperson Mrs Monica Kanyepi, said their first step towards achieving full women participation will be to lobby Parliament so that there can be legislation that support the equal participation of women in this important sector.

“Parliament of Zimbabwe, we are on the way (to lobby you),” said Mrs Kanyepi.  “The women’s caucuses, the MPs all those Parliamentary Portfolio Committees in the infrastructure cluster we, certainly are on our way (to come and lobby you),” she added.

The infrastructure cluster is one of the key focus areas for Government particularly as it seeks to achieve upper middle income earning status by 2030 as set by President Mnangagwa.

Speaking at the same event, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, encouraged women to continue consulting stakeholders to ensure a strong foundation for WomenBuild in its noble call.  “I encourage the women to continue consulting all stakeholders to ensure a strong foundation of WomenBuild,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.  “I call upon all women with interests in this cluster to hear the call to action presented here today.

“I understand that, the Strategic Objectives include providing a new, dedicated, focused, exclusive, relevant, time bound and value adding platform for the full participation of women in infrastructure and utilities and allied trades in the built environment.  (it also includes) taking stock of progress made so far on the inclusion of women in the infrastructure and utilities cluster in Zimbabwe . . . To facilitate the creation of market opportunities by establishing new links, networks and partnerships between women and the infrastructure and utilities cluster,” she said.