By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
Masvingo – In celebration of International Women’s Day, women are being urged to take up leadership roles to ensure that gender equality is realized through women’s participation.
The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ)is partnering with HIVOS in implementing a program dubbed Strengthening Collective Advocacy for Increased Women’s Leadership Participation where women should be seen leading and participating from the local level to the regional level.
In a press statement released by WCOZ, the project is underpinned by three objectives.
“The project will enhance the capacity of WCOZ to coordinate alliances, platforms and networks to advocate for increasing women’s participation and leadership at local, national and regional and international levels. To strengthen women’s movement partnerships, networks for enhanced accountability for progress on implementation of policies, regional and international instruments on women’s participation in leadership. Lastly, the project will enhance young women’s inclusion and participation in decision making in alliances, platforms and networks in Zimbabwe at al levels of development processes at local, national and regional levels” WCOZ stated.
The project will facilitate an Arts Exhibition which will run under the theme, ‘I am Generational Equality, I am women’s Rights through a Photo and Mural Contest where art will be used to showcase women’s rights to leadership representation and participation.
Women’s readiness in taking up leadership opportunities and women leaders achievements has to be shared for the public to know.
26 young women will be drawn from across the country and the expo will build momentum to the grandmaster title which will be conducted in the Women’s month and linking it with the different themes.
In an interview with Sheila Munemo she highlighted how such projects have enhanced women’s lives. “As women, we were overshadowed by fear but through various engagements, things are changing for the better and we are now leaders.
Women are no longer afraid and now participating in a private sphere. Women are equal to men so we should never look down upon ourselves but rather become a better people and this will be highlighted as well through the expo,” she said.
