Ndola — WOMEN have a lot to play in enhancing any nation's growth.

Many times, women have looked down on themselves without realising the great potential they possess in contributing to the socio-economic developement of a country.

They have also been known not to assist each other but to be critics of each other because of petty jealous, which has been one of the factors that they have not performed or contributed to decision-making processes like Church, Parliament and society in general.

In Zambia, women have been encouraged to own land and go into farming through a deliberate policy by the Government through the ministry of Lands which has allocated 30 per cent of land to women and also entitles women to participate in the other 70 per cent.

If women are well-equipped, they can foster development in society.

Poverty in Africa is at such alarming levels that it is no longer up to the governments to find ways of abetting it but women could also play a role through developing their nations.

Women could only be self-reliant by empowering themselves with skills which can bring about sustainability.

One such organisation that is trying to uplift the social and economic dependence of women is the Arts Paradise Trust International based in Zimbabwe.

These are architects in social change for positive development through the art.

The Arts Paradise Trust International is currently running a project called the Young Women African summit (YWAS), which is a motivation of activities and networking by young women leaders in Africa.

This came as a result of a global campaign launched by the International Museum of Women (IMOW), in March 2006, dubbed 'Imagining Ourselves' a new generation of women. The launch was planned to coincide with the International Women's Day.

Moved by the passion for women development, young women, realising their strengths and walking in achieving their goals, the project will bring more young women together across Africa to join hands for development in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The YWAS was formed to embrace young women from all walks of life.

This is a summit for young women aimed at building bridges by bringing women from across Africa together and discuss, network and discover ways of working together for future development.

It is also a platform for young women to create positive change in their lives.

More importantly, this summit will explore the politics of naming, in reference to feminist leadership development.

Like many other women organisations worldwide, the summit would be a platform for young women to create positive change in their lives, communities and in the world.

For the first time, young women will gather to redefine the power of an empowered young woman in society.

The summit is being deemed as a unique chance for any young woman to celebrate being young, successfully walking in her goals and celebrating the achieved visions.

The summit whose theme is: 'Arise Let Your Light Go Forth' draws its strengths from society values and principles that acknowledge diversity, democracy, equality of women and men and peaceful co-existence in working towards development.

Africa has seen tremendous change through the campaign of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), one of them being promoting gender equity and empowerment of women, and also the discrimination against women.

Africa is steadily making progress in this area and women are no longer discriminated against and more women have been involved in decision making processes by being adopted as parliamentarians, though much has to be done and also empowerment through various skills.

However, women may continue to be marginalised, but have proved to be good leaders in areas such as the fight against HIV/AIDS, defilement which has stolen the limelight.

From time immemorial, women have gathered and have put their strengths together on how the woman has been severely disadvantaged.

The younger generation of women is slowly discovering its potential and exercising the passions and strengths freely in many societies today.

With one of their objectives, to motivate and inspire the young women to see the possibilities, it has been observed that women today are freely expressing and celebrating their gift of not being anything else but a woman, for a specific purpose.

The YWAS is a strong champion of women's development as a means and beginning to development.

The summit is aware that for a very long time, society has been misinformed where feminism or women empowerment is concerned and it, therefore, seeks to address these issues and redefine what society has for many years labelled ugly.

Further more, the summit believing that society holds such women of substance, of valor, of excellence, it does not aim to come out of the summit still finding young women who are still challenged by a basic understanding of feminism and feminist principles, but to rise and go forth.

Women in leadership must challenge and prove to their critics that they have the capacity of taking up leadership roles without any difficulties.

The YWAS would also provide space for young women to explore strategies that are inclusive and acknowledge diversity in working towards development in and around Africa.

With one of the objectives to challenge and enlarge capacity of young women where development is concerned, the YWAS further aims to address issues through forums during the summit on various topics based on development of the young woman for and in Africa.

In order for the summit to be meaningful, women must also exhibit a learning culture in order to boost their leadership skills.

This would enable them contribute to their economies by fully participating in different programmes.

Ultimately, the YWAS has the opportunity to give young women a chance to be all that they can be in society.

After all, development knows no gender and human beings have the equal value before the Creator.