Women must act now or drown in politics

They must make difficult decisions, it won't be easy. If women do not act now, obliteration of the memory of thousands of women who contributed to the struggles, the benefits of which we enjoy today will continue. Women must take their rightful place of leadership in their political parties and other organisations.  

Deliberate and solid progressive action is pivotal on the part of the women and their organisations. Women must re-educate themselves and must seek out knowledge that will feed and strengthen their resolve. Women must read and understand laws, conventions of the country and workplace, particularly those that relate to women, their rights and responsibilities. Women must understand that they cannot do it alone therefore must be part of groups which understand and supportive in character.

Women must understand that resigning to the back of things, limiting their contributions and diming own and fellow women light particularly political, community leadership benefit no-one but men. Women must accept nominations; volunteer to be first in line, pose with their clenched fist for the media for you are strong women! Demands and set the tone for the rest of the country. Political parties and the government must value women's contributions, particularly making their issues equal priority. They must take positive, pro-active progressive steps to ensure women's development and tackle the chronic under-representation of women in leadership. They must adopt and implement policies to promote women's participation and leadership. It may be necessary for political parties and other organisation to have a specialist department and budget that deals with the recruitment of women.  Such a unique department will enforce a policy of reserved seats, quotas or percentages- for example, if an executive has a vice president, ensure such is reserved for a woman. Political parties must create conditions to women to become a major party's nominee for presidency.

At least more than 20 women have  served  as prime leaders of countries around the world for example Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Argentina, Australia, Thailand, Liberia, Kosovo, and Brazil, to name a few. Over 40 years ago Soong Ching-ling served as co-chairman of China. So, if they can do it, surely Zimbabweans can rally around a woman candidate all the way to the State House. As an organisation that embraces a feminist perspective (frequently examining privilege and hierarchy), we are less concerned (at the moment) about the individual gender, ethnicity, or religion of our president. We are more concerned that our presidents are aligned, co-opted, exploited and owned by powerful multinational corporate system that will continue to trumpet their unique diversity, equality and policy at the expense of the poor.

We are of the view that outrageous issues in the media about women, qualifications and viability as national leaders is an evil plot of male supremacists conveniently calculated to discredit the idea of a woman president. This is what sexism looks like. This is as if any of the clowns in all political parties, male or female, are good presidential prospects. The facts suggest that the choices on all sides are poor in each party. To miss this, is to be a passive receptacle. To miss this, is to believe that our democracy and economy is working. More than 150 countries have or have had women as heads of state. No doors must remain closed to women these days.

Margaret Thatcher is Exhibit A, the Iron Lady's politics, was simply smarter, tougher, hard-working, better-prepared and totally superior to any male politicians in Britain. The deeper question and the one avoided by many including women is; Is Zimbabwe ready for a Woman President?. Let's consider what it would take to collectively energize the Zimbabwean psyche behind a woman leader. Good goddess, we've got to be kidding.

thepresidiumzupa@yahoo.co.uk