By Thelma Wandayi
In a trailblazing and bold move, Gweru councillors have vowed to place women at the forefront of local governance, as the old adage says, “When you empower a woman, you empower a community.”
This progressive stance aims to break tradition and create an inclusive society where women actively contribute to policy-making and community development.
Prioritizing women in local governance highlights the significance of women as leaders.
The city mothers have pledged to prioritize women in all their decision-making processes, affirming their commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
In a recent post-election engagement meeting organized by TellZim, the recently elected Gweru Deputy Mayor and female councillors made a commitment to prioritize women’s empowerment in the Midlands province.
Speaking about her dedication to uplifting women, Gweru Deputy Mayor ,Cllr Nyaradzo Madzikura (Ward 10) emphasized the importance of crafting grassroots-based policies that are women-oriented, promising to push for the prioritization of women’s issues at the Townhouse.
“We are going to push for the crafting of grassroots-based policies that are women-oriented,” the Deputy Mayor said. “We will push for women’s issues and prioritize them in the allocation of stands and vending stalls, among other economic empowerment projects,” she added.
Cllr Madzikura emphasized the need for women to access resources so that they can thrive in society.
“Inclusion is important,” the Deputy Mayor reiterated. “We must ensure that women have access to opportunities and resources so that they can thrive in society,” she added.
She also pointed out the importance of empowering women through trainings, income-generating projects, and collaborating with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to address the issues of drug abuse and prostitution..
“Collaborating with civil society organizations is a crucial step towards empowering women through trainings and income-generating projects.In order to curb prostitution, women must be provided with economic resources that would discourage them from engaging in commercial sex work,”she emphasized.
In addition, she emphasized the need to revitalize recreational facilities for the youth in Gweru as a way to tackle the problem of drug abuse.
Echoing Cllr Madzikura’s sentiments, Cllr Mercy Mangwanya (Ward 1) said there was an urgent need to improve service delivery in the city and alleviate the challenges faced by women, especially water shortages and poor maternal healthcare.
Deputy Mayor,Cllr Nyaradzo Madzikura and Cllr Mercy Mangwanya
“There is a need to improve service delivery to alleviate the challenges faced by women in Gweru. There is an urgent need to address the perennial water shortages plaguing our city and resuscitate our maternal healthcare system to reduce the infant mortality rate being proliferated by home births,” said Cllr Mangwanya.
In a unified stance, Cllr Faith Tshuma (Ward 2) underscored the need for quality service delivery while advocating for cleaner environments through women-led community clean-up campaigns, stating, “Gweru residents, especially women, should have uninterrupted water supply, a proper sewer reticulation system, and an up-to-date garbage collection system,” she said.
According to a recent study conducted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, only 25.5% of women currently hold leadership positions in local governance worldwide. This highlights the persistent lack of women representation in decision-making roles at the local governance level.
Furthermore, the study revealed that only 5% of mayors worldwide are women, showcasing a significant gender gap at the municipal level.
United Nations data collected from 141 countries show that women constitute more than 3 million (35.5%) of elected members in local deliberative bodies. Only three countries have reached 50%, and an additional 22 countries have more than 40% women in local government.
Despite the lack of women representation at the local governance level, research has shown that women are just as capable as leaders compared to their male counterparts.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review cements that women leaders are often more empathetic, collaborative, and inclusive in their decision-making processes.
Concretizing the above-mentioned, the International Labour Organization (ILO) showed that companies led by women deliver higher financial returns than those led by men, indicating the positive impact of female leadership.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) notes that countries with higher female participation in political decision-making tend to have stronger governance systems and lower levels of corruption.
Also, a report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) highlighted that women in leadership roles are more inclined to prioritize social welfare, inclusivity, and sustainable development more than their male counterparts.
Research on Panchayats (local councils) in India discovered that the number of drinking water projects in areas with women-led councils was 62% higher than in those with men-led councils. In Norway, a direct causal relationship between the presence of women in municipal councils and childcare coverage was found, showing that women’s leadership in political decision-making processes improves them.
In Zimbabwe, 12% members of local deliberative bodies are women (244elected women) a promising sign of progress towards gender equality in leadership at local level.
Women’s impact on local governance is gaining momentum worldwide, and Africa is no exception.
African countries have witnessed an encouraging rise in women occupying positions of power, including heads of states and influential political positions.
In 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was praised for appointing a 50-50 gender-balanced cabinet.
Rwanda’s success is a testament to the power of women’s leadership. Since the genocide in 1994, the country has made significant strides in rebuilding and developing its economy, thanks in part to the leadership of women. Today, women make up 61% of the country’s parliament, and the government has implemented policies aimed at promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Gweru’s former Mayor, now a Member of Parliament (MP) for Gweru Urban, Josiah Makombe, reiterated his support for the female councillors and their focus on women’s empowerment and emphasized the need to address gender-based violence and provide support for marginalized groups.
“By championing women’s empowerment and advocating for marginalized groups, we pave the way for a more inclusive and progressive community for everyone to thrive in,” he said
Initiatives like the one taken by Gweru’s councillors and deputy mayor highlight the importance of proactive measures that will help bridge this gap and create a more equitable society.