The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day under the theme: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”
As ZimRights we celebrate the efforts that have been made by women in shaping a human-rights centered recovery from the effects of Covid-19. Women are at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic as front line workers, caregivers and providers for families whose livelihoods have been disrupted by Covid-19.
This year’s theme focuses on the realization that only when women are in leadership can an equal future be realized. Statistics in Zimbabwe show that women and girls continue to be excluded in leadership positions despite the Constitutional provisions for full participation of women and gender parity.
ZimRights, through its three-pillar Covid-19 response strategy: Humanitarian response, Human Rights monitoring and Policy advocacy, has noted that the weaponization of Covid-19 also targeted women who had been pushed into further poverty by the pandemic and female human rights defenders.
ZimRights urges the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure women representation at every table where decisions are made.
ZimRights calls on government to ensure full compliance with the Constitution that provides for gender parity and put an end to the marginalization and exclusion of women from socio-economic and political spheres.
ZimRights also calls on government to use a human rights-based approach for the Covid-19 recovery plan.