THE MDC Women’s Assembly has said it will recommit itself to fighting for and safeguarding the rights and opportunities of women in Zimbabwe as the party celebrates a milestone on the road to gender equality to mark International Women’s Day tomorrow.
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The MDC women said while they celebrated the implementation of the women’s quota system in Parliament, they call on the government to stop paying lip service to gender equality and start putting to action the new Constitution’s promises to promote women’s rights and equality.
“As a party, we believe that actions speak louder than words and we advise the government to start showing sincerity about gender equality by putting in place supporting mechanisms that will empower women and the girl child.
“The MDC has always unequivocally stated that gender equality and the empowerment of women through a devolved system of governance is not only the right thing to do, but a must in the creation of a free and fair Zimbabwe,” the women’s assembly said in a statement.
It said the MDC believed that when women succeeded, nations became safer, secure and more prosperous.
“As a party that believes in the fullest extent of democracy, values peace, equality, equity and abhors violence in sectors of society, including violence against women and the girl child, we wish to categorically state that there can never be democracy when women who constitute 52% of the population are treated unfairly, considered inferior and accorded the status of second-class citizens,” the party said.
