Government says it strongly believes in the guaranteeing the full and effective participation of women in decision making at all levels of national development.
Ministry of Gender and Child Development Permanent Secretary Daisy Ng’ambi observed that women can only be able to participate as equal partners in development if they feel they have the necessary tools of engagement.
Ms Ng’ambi who spoke through acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry during the capacity Building Workshop for political party women’s wings organized by the Zambia National Women’s Lobby said government will continue to collaborate with the ZNWL to promulgate policies that avail equal opportunities to access to political opportunities by both male and female candidates.
Ms Ng’ambi implored other civil society organisation to come up with similar initiatives that will compliment government’s efforts in ensuring equal representation of women and men in decision making positions.
She has further stressed that government is currently expediting the process of gender main streaming in all departments as one of the many policy interventions in securing gender equity.
And Zambia National Women’s Lobby Chairperson Beauty Katebe noted the involvement in politics by brave mothers has however, not matured with the passage of time as the number of women participating in political party processes and especially in leadership positions is still significantly low.
Ms Katebe noted that women’s contributions to politics has continued to be rewarded with low positions that cannot influence the decisions that are made.
She added that the voices and needs of the marginalised groups such as women need to be heard and that it can only be done through equal representation through increased participation of women in the country’s political process.
She may be fired for saying those things. Someone will say you are yapping.
Even Ba Inonge works from background.
Don’t just end by encouraging women to participate. Create opportunities for them to participate. How can they participate if your political party only adopts men to stand as MPs, or 98% of those who get ministerial positions are men. So let’s avoid yapping unnecessarily.
Yes, well said but its action that the women need. There are many capable women who together with men can bring Zambia to higher levels, but since most men feel intimidated by such women and most of the men hold on to higher positions women continue to suffer. The chairman of the local government assossiation elections in Solwezi for Zambian councils noted with concern that there was no sign of woman nominated or not to mention a name forwarded. Dr. Christine Kaseba, Hon. Inonge Wina, Mrs Katebe , Bridget Atanga Deputy PF SG, Chibesa Kankasa former leader are indeed fighting this gender inequality plus most us whose voices are not head. Women should be given positions due to their ability to run the country as well not on piecemeal terms and not as a favor.