Full statement:
Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Statement by Lynnet Karenyi, the Chairperson for MDC's Assembly of Women on the occasion of International Women's Day
The MDC Women’s Assembly today joins the rest of the world in commemorating the international women’s Day and this year’s theme, Be Bold for Change is a clarion call to both men and women to take positive action towards gender parity and equality.
The International Women’s Day commemoration comes at an opportune time when the Assembly of women is rallying all progressive citizens, especially women, towards making a bold statement against the ZANU-PF government which has failed the people of Zimbabwe.
We commemorate the International Women’s day amid women losing their lives during child birth due to doctors striking because of poor remuneration. We openly call upon all active citizens to make a bold statement against a government that fails to promote, protect and uphold the rights of citizens, a government whose police officers throw spikes on moving vehicles, putting the lives of citizens, especially women and children, at risk. We commemorate this international women’s day against the background of a government that is failing to deliver basic social services; as women find it hard to put food on the table as families survive on less that US$1 day. In such a depressed economic environment, even sanitary ware becomes a luxury.
While the women’s movement has made significant in advocating for gender equality, the high levels of unemployment in Zimbabwe have blocked the progressive realisation of women’s empowerment opportunities and space for career advancement. The highly partisan allocation of resources has also closed space for women to participate in economic development which is contrary to the objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063 which spells out issues of Women empowerment as being core to development.
The MDC-T’s Assembly of Women calls upon all women and citizens to be bold and take action towards the promotion of gender equity and most importantly towards the removal from office of ZANU-PF—the party at the centre of mis-governance in our country.
As we prepare for a watershed election in 2018, we urge all the suffering women of Zimbabwe to Be Bold for Change, vote out Zanu PF and set the country on a new trajectory of growth, prosperity and development.
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