ZimRights commemorates International Women's day

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) has joined the nation and the international community in celebrating progress and pledging commitment in its community interventions toward gender equality on the occasion of the United Nations (UN) Women's Day on March 8, 2016.

In a statement ZimRights said the 2016 UN theme, "Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it up for Gender Equality", engenders reflections, commitments and actions toward a gender equal planet in line with Agenda 2030.

"The thrust is in line with the new Sustainable Development Goals Five (5) on empowerment of women and girls and Four (4) on inclusive and quality education and other existing pledges on gender equality, women's empowerment and women's rights," reads the statement.

"At an organisational level, ZimRights has already prioritised women (and youths) in its community interventions through creating grassroots spaces for women to interact, collaborate and be empowered as well as ensure gender quotas in its various leadership structures."

The organisation said relevant to the theme it has been fighting for inclusive education through fighting for access to examination results and scrapping of burdensome regime of education costs.

"ZimRights continues to find evidence through its work in communities countrywide that efforts for true women empowerment, which focus on the unique vulnerabilities of women, especially in marginalised communities are needed for a gender equal society," reads the statement.

"Good governance and efficient social service delivery are a crucial ingredient in realising gender equal societies. For instance, women continue to be detained after giving birth for failing to settle medical bills, or give birth away from medical facilities due to inaccessibility of the health facilities especially in rural areas."

ZimRights said at the national level, it is commendable that the Zimbabwean government in implementing the new Constitution, has through laudable court rulings made significant strides towards outlawing child marriages, which robbed women of their future at a tender age.

"The government needs to do even more in eradicating the menace of rape and domestic violence through which we have seen the negation of women's dignity, and necessitate the implementation of effective remedies such as mandatory prison sentences for rapists," reads the statement.

"Widespread instances of human rights violations, afflicting communities such as the demolition of homes, or humanitarian crises caused by natural occurrences such the El Nino-induced drought and hunger, and floods disproportionately affect women and children."

ZimRights reiterated that the Constitution's Sections 245-7 require the full and effective operationalisation of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission; the constitutional body should be capacitated with enough resources fully geared to achieving the principles of gender equality that are outlined in the Constitution.

"Achieving a gender equal planet by 2030, means also that individual countries like Zimbabwe must deeply honour the collective pledges made within the various international frameworks such as the regional bloc Southern African Development Community (SADC)'s Gender Protocol 50-50 provisions, and similar pledges under the African Union (AU)," reads the statement.

"That the UN has taken the lead this year by advocating for equality within its frameworks by pledging to "Push for Parity" as the rallying cry should inspire speedy implementation of such local pledges for gender parity within the national governance structures, the Cabinet included, as required by the new Constitution of Zimbabwe."

The organisation said  even the positive circumstance of guaranteed seats for women in Parliament should not be taken as an end in itself, but must be constantly evaluated and supported so that it leaves sustainable positive results beyond its lifespan.