Empowering Girls At All Costs

Republic of Zimbabwe Minister of Community Development and Gender Oppah Muchinguri receives masters degree in international relations at the University. She is congratulated by President Mugabe on September 13, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Empowering girls at all costs

November 15, 2013 Opinion & Analysis
Marshall Bwanya Features Writer
Zimbabwe Herald

“There is a Chinese proverb that says if your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years educate children.”

These were the inspirational words from 15-year-old second year University of Zimbabwe student Maud Chifamba during recent commemorations of the International Day of the Girl Child.

Education has been identified as one of the most effective ways of emancipating the girls from all forms of oppression.

Although Zimbabwe has made tremendous strides in achieving gender parity at primary and secondary education, there is however, need to address gender disparities at tertiary education levels.

According to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Progress Report for 2012 only 43 percent females are enrolled at universities.

Another UN study has shown that these disparities in tertiary education have been influenced by various factors such as poverty, gender-based violence, early marriages, unplanned teenage pregnancies, the burden of gender roles at home and harmful religious and traditional practices.

Government acknowledges these disparities.
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development has embarked on a new policy meant to address challenges faced by girls in economic empowerment, education, reproductive health rights, safety and protection as well as leadership and development. The empowerment policy is in line with one of the eight anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that the international community aims to reach by the 2015 deadline.

In an interview, Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Oppah Muchinguri said the policy would cater for girls who have been denied access to adequate education. “The programme aims at empowering women who are out of school.

We have realised that there are certain gender issues that need our intervention while looking at the school curricular so that it is gender sensitive.

“This programme will also create a platform that accommodates both girls and boys to air their views and opinions and enabling an environment where gender knowledge is imparted on them so they grow up with respect for each others as equals,” she said.

Minister Muchinguri said Zimbabwe’s new Constitution had strong dictates that supported gender parity.

“In the coming three years we are going to witness increased participation of women in politics, and other various facets of life where women have been denied access.

“We are going to put in place a gender commission to make sure the dictates of the new Constitution are being effectively implemented where people can report if they have been deprived of their rights.”

United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women Mr Kemal Mustafa said in his speech during the commemorations that it was prudent to implement innovational changes in how education is accessed, designed and delivered to girls to strengthen their participation, learning and empowerment.

Childline ambassador Miss Thamsanqa Moyo said the media was the most effective platform of reaching out and empowering girls.

“Music is the fastest way of reaching out to the younger generation. Most young people’s behaviour, attitude and beliefs are strongly influenced by the music they listen to.

“It is unfortunate that most youths have access to bad foreign music and films they download from the internet which makes them develop a negative culture.

“Some songs in the hip-hop genre have content that is either disrespectful or derogatory to females. Government should promote local music that has a positive message to society about girls,” she said.

Renowned child writer and poet from Zengeza 1 High Kutsara Sengeza said some girls were still being forced by societal traditions to get into early marriages.

“There are still traditional societal values that are still influencing girls to get into early marriages. If Zimbabwe as a nation wants to do away with academic, political and social disparities that have negative effects on girls, it should do away with certain traditional practices that are harmful to them,” she said.

“Government through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development should educate the girls that early marriage is not the solution but merely a means to an end.” However, society has been unfair to girls burdening them with societal roles that discourage the pursuance of academic and educational endeavours.

While the girls are burdened by gender roles at home such as cooking, fetching water and cleaning the house, boys on the other hand are discovering new inventions and developing in sport, art and education.

“Zimbabwe as a nation should desist from stereotyping the girl child as a perpetual minor who should always be subject to a male dominated society.”

And society needs to understand that empowering the girl child also results in better life for her and the whole family.

The media should engender equality to the society. However, the most effective and efficient way Government can address empowerment of girls is at the grassroots level where Government can introduce interaction centres that educate and socialise both the girl and boy child to treat each others as equals.

Creating an environment where boys and girls are given the same opportunities, chances and prospects in all facets of life such as politics, education and empowerment would be beneficial to society.

Society needs a mental revolution to realise the worth and value of the girls.

Furthermore, women should not be portrayed as a charity case that only accepts handouts in spheres of influence.

They should rise to the occasion and challenge for those positions to claim their rightful place in society.

Junior Parliament Governor for Harare Metropolitan Rutendo Mandere said empowering girls was only possible if the people around her were a source of encouragement. “In most cases when the girls are excelling in their studies the people around them do not expect them to succeed and they overwhelm girls with negative remarks that discourage them.

“Society should stop stereotyping that success is determined by a person’s sex,” she said.

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