Harare - At least 50 Zimbabwean women
demonstrated in Harare yesterday demanding a 50 percent share of the
country’s political power. The demonstration was organised by the Women in
Politics Support Unit (WIPSU), a civic group that promotes the
participation of women in issues of governance. The demonstrators, who
included three legislators from the main opposition Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) party, marched from Africa Unity Square in central
Harare to the Harare Gardens wielding placards demanding an equal share of
political power. Some of the placards read: “The time for 50 percent
women’s representation is NOW.” Addressing the protesters, Harare North
legislator Trudy Stevenson said women should demand equal representation
in all elections in future beginning with the upcoming urban council
elections. “We need 50-50 percent representation (with men) right now. We
need to begin with the forthcoming council elections," she said. Human
rights groups say although women make up 52 percent of Zimbabwe’s 12
million population, they are not represented meaningfully in positions of
governance. For example, out of the 10 provincial governors in Zimbabwe,
only two were women. In addition, only 22.2 percent of women are
represented in political positions in the country. “Fifty-two percent of
the women’s population being represented by 22.2 percent in politics is
not justifiable,” said Rutendo Hadebe, the director of Women in Politics
Support Unit (Wipsu) and one of the organisers of the
protest.
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