FEMALE councillors in Gwanda have urged more women to take up leadership positions to ensure gender equality and enhanced contribution of women to national development.
Although the number of women assuming leadership roles at the community level is growing, gender activists have expressed concern over enduring discrimination and stereotypes against the female gender.
Gwanda Ward 22 councillor, Mary Mpofu, said in order to achieve gender equity, more women should take up leadership positions and influence key decision-making processes.
“We still have a challenge of men who are resisting leadership of women at community level. Some community members are still doubting our capability to lead as women,” she said.
“Others are resisting to cooperate and taking part in activities just because a woman is leading. Some men still utter statements like ‘I won’t be led by a woman’. When a project fails, they are quick to attribute the failure to the fact that I’m a woman.
“There is still a lot of work to be done to change the mindset of people at grassroots level. One way of doing this is if more women come up and take leadership roles and then communities will see that women are able.”
Clr Mpofu said she was disappointed that there were only three female councillors out of a total of 24 wards in Gwanda Rural District Council.
She said it was ironic that some women were also doubting their ability to lead as they are still bound by the narrow stereotypical opinions of patriarchal community and family values. Clr Mpofu said she has tried to ensure that more women are appointed as village heads in her ward but she was facing a lot of resistance from the community.
She said with elections on the way she has started feeling the pressure as some candidates use the male card to discredit female candidates. Clr Mpofu said leadership has to be appointed to merit and not gender.
Ward 8 councillor for Gwanda, Rachael Ncube said some community members were still holding onto traditional values that suppress the female voice and hinder their participation in leadership.
She said these values were still dominant, especially in the rural areas where some elders have not warmed up to the gender consciousness changes.
“There is still a need to engage village elders as some are still holding onto traditional values that oppress women. Their beliefs are influencing those of women and youths. This will hinder progress. As women we also need to be given an equal opportunity to lead because we are capable,” she said.
“We are also concerned with the development of our communities and nation and we can work equally hard or even more to bring development.”
Mangwe Ward 4 councillor who is also Mangwe Rural District Council chairperson, Sindisiwe Nleya, said a lot has been done by the corporate world and Government bodies to empower women but there was still more work to be done at grassroots level.
“We like to thank Government under the leadership of President Mnangagwa for putting in place various policies and statutes to ensure that women are actively involved in leadership,” she said.
Last week the country joined the rest of the world to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. – The Chronicle
