Story by Fairstars Mukungurutse
A national study on violence against women in politics by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission has revealed that gender-based violence is a significant barrier to women’s full participation in politics.
The national study commissioned by the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in partnership with United Nations Women in Harare this Wednesday seeks to promote zero tolerance to all forms of gender-based violence against women in politics.
The survey revealed a worrying trend of women parliamentary candidates experiencing some form of violence including harassment, cyber-bullying, emotional and verbal abuse perpetrated by both men and women.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Commissioner Margaret Mukahanana Sangarwe called for a multi-stakeholder approach to effectively address violence against women in the politics.
“No single solution can eradicate this vice. Instead, we must adopt a wide array of measures across different levels to effectively address the various forms of violence women face in the political arena while taking into account the complex contexts in which these incidents occur. The report comes with a set of recommendations for multi-sectoral stakeholders on preventing and responding to violence some of which include the implementation of legislation and policies that address violence against women in politics and holding political parties accountable to gender equality and women empowerment commitments,” Commissioner Sangarwe noted.
Japanese Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Hiro Yuki expressed commitment to continue supporting the country’s efforts to eradicate GBV, sentiments echoed by a representative from the French embassy Mrs Lucie Gal-Ong.
“We are committed to support gender equality and women economic and political empowerment both in Zimbabwe and beyond,” she said.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to various international and regional conventions that seek to reduce and prevent GBV and promote gender equality in leadership and governance.
In 2013, government instituted a gender quota, reserving seats for women through proportional representation in a bid to address gender disparities in political participation.
