A report by Richard Matthew Kawazi
A community engagement meeting recently held in Chirireka held by the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) revealed that women are not experiencing socio-economic economic peace.
WCOZ Bindura Chapter Chairperson, Gillian Chinzete shared a collection of testimonies by rural women whom WCOZ engaged to unpack the existence of peace among women in Chireka community.
The community engagement meeting exposed that women do not have the same access to wealth creating opportunities such as land ownership.
In an exclusive interview with local media, Chinzete said that women are excluded from commercially viable projects such as tobacco farming.
“We found that very few women own properties and the few that own land, have small pieces of land compared to men…In addition, certain agriculture projects are reserved for men and this includes cash crops such as tobacco mbeu dzana baba”, said Chinzete.
Gillian Chinzete
More so, the meeting unpacked that women are excluded from the decision-making process that affects their lives and wealth-creating activities.
In essence, issues to do with the suppression of women’s civic liberties continue to exist in the house and the workplace.
Chinzete said rural, women are still far from experiencing the peace that they deserve in modern-day society.
“We spoke to women who collectively agreed that they are unable to air their issues in the family and community…the women said they are excluded from the decision-making process that affects their lives”, explained Chinzete.
Chinzete alluded those men exercise decision power over the household, as a result, reducing women to a lesser status in equal partnership in the home.
She cited the issue of matare, an ancient tradition where family leaders gather in a special meeting to preside over problematic issues in the home.
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“We realised that men decide for everyone else, especially at matare where men sit and discuss issues to do with women in their absence, as a result, the issue has a bearing on women with regards to women’s participation in decision making”, said Chinzete.
The community engagement meeting was held in commemoration of the International Day of Peace on 21 September 2022.
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