Clever Taperamoyo
MASVINGO – The Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Masvingo Chapter recently held a workshop at the Presbyterian Church near Yeukai Shopping Centre to educate its members on the constitution, electoral processes and political participation.
The workshop came in the wake of consultation meetings held across the country to improve understanding of the constitution particularly among women and girls.
Addressing stakeholders, WCoZ Masvingo chairperson, Joyce Mhungu said women and girls should familiarise themselves with the constitution in order to protect their rights.
“I urge women and girls to be familiar with the 2013 constitution, know the provisions that affect them so that they are able to protect their rights in such matters as inheritance,” said Mhungu.
Government, she said, should also include the aspect of constitutionalism in the education system for the benefit of young people in schools.
“Government should also implement, through our education system, the learning of various constitutional provisions that can enlighten children starting from primary level so that we equip them with the basic constitutional knowledge,” Mhungu said.
Participants raised a myriad of problems they felt were an infringement on constitutional rights; with such issues as property rights, lobola and healthcare taking centre stage.
“Government, through various ministries that target women and girls, should engage the grassroots when distributing funds for projects. The projects should also have attainable goals.
“Women should not continue to be stripped back to poverty especially with the issue of joining fees. You find that some unplanned projects that should uplift women continue to burden us as because they cannot be sustained,” said one participant.
Women were also encouraged to continue claiming their political space in order to realise the goal for an equal representation of women in all spheres of life.
