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Zanu-PF urges government urged to align Electoral Act with constitution

by Staff reporter
20 Oct 2018 at 08:16hrs | Views
ZANU-PF has said Government should amend the Electoral Act to align it with constitutional provisions on gender parity to increase the overall representation and participation of women in politics.

Addressing the Zimbabwe Gender Commission second national gender forum in Bulawayo on Wednesday, Zanu-PF Secretary for Legal Affairs Paul Mangwana said Government should come up with a legal framework that compels all political parties to adhere to the constitution in terms of gender parity.

He said as Zanu-PF they are in the process of raising a motion in Parliament which calls for the amendment of the Electoral Act. He said they had observed that there is no legislation to compel political parties to comply with constitutional provisions on gender parity.

The ruling party said they were concerned by the low number of women who were elected into Parliament in the July 30 elections. Despite constitutional, legislative and policy guarantees, women failed to reach the expected 50 percent representation in the Government make-up.

Women make up only 31,5 percent of the National Assembly, 48 percent of the Senate and 13,3 percent of councillors, a representation which is relatively low when addressing gender parity issues.

"We are going to advocate for the amendment of the Electoral Act which will compel all political parties to be sensitive to gender parity in their structures before registering as a political party. All political parties must meet the expected 50 percent gender representation," said Mangwana.

"We are aware that there is a 30 percent recommendation of women representation in our national policies, which makes it optional for political parties to adhere to. There is no legal frame work that hold political parties accountable."

Mangwana said the Zimbabwe Gender Commission should call for a national stakeholders meeting of all political parties to discuss the issue of gender parity.

"We have a long way to go but I should appreciate the strides made by our party in this regard. The party national chairperson is a woman and we have a couple who hold influential positions. The ruling party is committed to the empowerment of women," said Mangwana.

He said the country still has a long way to go and efforts should be directed at ensuring more women are in leadership positions at party and Government level. Mangwana urged civic society groups and the gender commission to start engaging the nation on the concept of gender balance in political spheres before the polls.

"In your programing, engage men also since they are active participants in gender issues. We want more men who understand and advocate for equal representation of women in politics," he said.

Source - chronicle