Tinaaani Nyabereka/ Yeukai Munetsi
Gweru– The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) last week conducted a two-day ideas festival training for women and youths as efforts to exchange ideas to a learning opportunity for Social and Economic Justice Ambassadors to unearth the use of public finance management in combating effects of climate change
The ideas festival was conducted at a time when women and youths were excluded in economic and social governance issues as their voices continue to be neglected in the policy network and communities.
At the same time these groups have become victims of the ruthless bane of climate change as well as weak and poor public finance management. A situation that has been further aggravated by unfair trade practices as majority of youth and women in the informal sector particularly smallholder famers and artisanal small-scale miners are relegated to the periphery of the value chains.
ZIMCODD Programs Officer, John Maketo said under the festival which targeted 35 SEJA trainer of trainers (women and youths) was focused on empowering youths and women on climate and public finance management issues.
“The trained SEJAs will go back to their areas of operation targeting to train 500 women and youth leveraging on snowballing and idea harvesting technique ZIMCODD intends to reach approximately 1,500 (women and youth).
“This will be done to harvest ideas from youth and women participants who will be drawn from Gokwe, Goromonzi, Matobo and Kwekwe to discuss prevailing issues and dynamics that are undermining women and youth empowerment,”
“The discussions will be done under the prism of climate change, movement building, inclusion and prudent public finance management,”
“In addition, the exclusion of women and youth in economic governance has led to unsustainable mining activities in their communities as well as unresponsive budgeting process both at local and national level,”
“The ideas festival seeks to build an informed movement of women and youth that effectively lobby and advocate for just climate change interventions, inclusion of women and youth in economic governance as well as sound public finance management.” said Maketo
Goromonzi based Social Economic Justice Ambassador (SEJA), Mary Nyandome said unity of purpose was key in fighting climate change.
“Movement building citizens are the owners of the society there is need for unity of purpose in fighting climate change, be decision markers in every stage, local and national,” said Nyandome
