Organized and hosted by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Small and Medium Enterprise Development, the summit was designed to promote solidarity among women leaders, facilitate the exchange of ideas, and share experiences regarding women’s participation in leadership, decision-making, and economic empowerment. The event was attended by senior government officials.

Hivos, through our Women Empowerment group, supported the summit as a partner.

A call for more gender equality action

While we acknowledge the challenges we have faced – and still face – in advancing women’s voices and leadership in Southern Africa, it’s important to celebrate the strides we’ve made. Each victory, no matter how small, brings us closer to equality.

The theme of the summit was: “Accelerating Gender Parity through Collective Action; Strengthening Accountability and Solidarity to Transform Policies into Tangible Progress.” This call to action urged women to try new ideas to drive positive change in the different communities we come from.

Making strides for women in rural Zimbabwe

I quite agree with what the host, Minister Honorable Monica Mutsvangwa, said in her opening remarks: “There is a need to accelerate the slow pace of rural workspaces, bearing in mind that the majority of the population is still based in rural areas. The progress is slowly there but not as [fast as] expected.” Speeding up the creation of rural workspaces is an essential way to promote gender equality because a large portion of our population, particularly women, resides in rural areas, and women and girls often shoulder the burden of heavy labor in rural economies.

This point also reminds us that our efforts to achieve gender equality must not overlook the unique challenges faced by women in rural communities.

Adding to Minister Mutsvangwa’s remarks, UN Women Country Representative Fatou Lo urged all attendees to actively work towards fulfilling our commitments to creating an environment where every woman and girl can reach her full potential and shatter the glass ceiling. She emphasized the need for collective action to dismantle the barriers that hinder women’s progress and build a world where gender equality is not just an aspiration but a reality.

The next steps for women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe

As the summit concluded, a communiqué was produced by the Women in Leadership Summit organizers, summarizing the outcomes of the two-day gathering. The document outlines actions necessary to achieve greater representation in both the short and long term, addressing the pressing issues affecting women.

Some key proposed actions stipulate that:

1. The Political Parties Finance Act be amended so a percentage of the resources can be earmarked for supporting women candidates.
2. There should be strict enforcement of laws protecting women from gender-based violence (GBV) and cyber violence.
3. The law/regulations requiring political parties to implement gender equality and 50-50 gender parity provisions enshrined in the Constitution be enacted.

I believe that if we implement these strategic measures, women aspiring to positions of leadership in Zimbabwe will finally find themselves on a level playing field. And this will ultimately lead to a brighter, more inclusive future for all women in the country.

Attending the Women in Leadership Summit was such a shot in the arm! It renewed my desire to do whatever I can to push for women’s empowerment and drive positive change. Hearing the inspiring stories by accomplished women leaders from diverse backgrounds has reinforced my belief in the immense potential of women to shape, not just Zimbabwe, but the world as well.