Muwali Musampula
7 April 2008
Ndola — JUST what should be done in Zambia to enhance the participation of women in the social, political and economical spheres of the country?
This has been a running question among the advocates of gender equality who have over the years been campaigning for the increase in the number of women holding influential positions in the country.
Despite having ratified the SADC protocol on gender, which among other things calls for member states to attain 30 per cent women representation in Government, critics say Zambia's progress in implementing gender equality has been rather slow.
"As women, we need to work together in solidarity if we are to attain the 30 per cent representation at decision-making level," said Women for Change executive director, Emily Sikazwe, a renowned gender activist.
Until now, Zambian women have generally been accused of not being supportive of one another, which could be a possible explanation why there are few women in key positions. Society often perceives women as 'being their own worst enemies.'
In the September 2006 general elections, several women ended up standing against each other for parliamentary seats instead of being pitted against the men. In the end, few were elected and immediately, the activists started calling on the president to square up the numbers by nominating only women backbenchers.
"Look at what happened during the last elections, women were being pitted against each other just as a way of lessening women participation. Do we need that? No! As women lobby groups we would expect women to refuse when that happens we also need to educate our constituencies on the independent candidature status and learn to defeat arrogance of numbers as women," added Ms Sikazwe.
According to Ms Sikazwe, there was need to fight the norm that women would not make good leaders saying leadership was a right and not a favour. Women therefore, needed to stand in solidarity even in such issues as the national constitution.
But Zambia is not the only country in the region struggling to meet the required number of women in leadership.
The June 2006 edition of the SADC Gender Monitor reported that, "the average representation of women in parliaments of the region now stands at 20 per cent, with (only) Mozambique and South Africa having reached 30 per cent or above".
There is still considerable unevenness between countries with women representation in Parliament ranging from 5.6 per cent in Mauritius to 36 per cent in Mozambique, while Zambia currently stands at about 12.5 per cent. At the moment, South Africa is leading the way in women participation in cabinet, with 42 per cent women ministers and with a woman deputy president.
On Zambia's political front, President Levy Mwanawasa, as SADC chairperson recently said his Government had registered some success promoting gender equality because the number of women parliamentarians had increased from 6.3 per cent in 1991 to 12.6 per cent in the current Parliament; and out of 21 Cabinet ministers, five are women.
In the mainstream civil service, female representation at permanent secretary level is reportedly 25 per cent, directors 23 per cent, deputy directors, 18 per cent, diplomatic staff, 22 per cent and assistant directors, 25 per cent.
Former Nalolo MP, Inonge Wina, bemoans the rate at which women are fighting for the decision-making posts saying, "We need to join forces, if our friends in other countries are doing it, why can't we? We need to be serious about becoming MPs or just being in decision-making positions."
Gender activist Tafira Lubinda called for more co-operation among the women if the goal of more women representation was to be achieved. "We need to work together to create one voice and share ideas. Politics is not a dirty game, if it is dirty then it needs someone to cleanse that, and I believe a woman can. We just need to be assertive, focused and principled," he commented.
At global level, most European countries especially the Scandinavian states like Norway and Sweden have led the crusade to promote women participation in governance; and most of them are now used as models for gender equality.
A number of personalities have also been deemed as global icons in the fight for gender equality. They include Winnie Madikizela Mandela who played a crucial role in the fight against apartheid, former British Prime Minister, the Baroness Margaret Thatcher, former Philippine president Corazon Aquino and Hillary Clinton as the first New York senator and now in the race for presidency.
Perhaps as is said that experience is the best teacher, Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, was once quoted in the People Publication of September 1969 as saying, "In politics if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman."
She was nicknamed iron lady and such words coming from her only confirms what entails the stereotypical approaches that have been recognised when it comes to decision-making positions!
"I will personally be there to support each campaign if you women decide to do so. I am ready to criss-cross the world in support of the women cause," said the South African central figure in the fight against apartheid, Winnie, during her recent visit to Zambia to participate in celebrations to mark this year's International Women's Day.
"Women make-up slightly more than 50 per cent of the population of Zambia, in this regard it is imperative that they are fully involved in the policy formulation as well as implementation of various programmes in the country," observed Gender In Development Division (GIDD)-social section director at Cabinet office, Catherine Kalamwina
Back here at home, the history of women emancipation in visible leadership roles has in the recent past witnessed some encouraging strides. Most women seem to concentrate, by and large, on running non-governmental organisations though an insignificant number have taken a shot at other challenges in the corporate world and other walks of life.
Rare brands such as of Zambia State Insurance Corporation (ZSIC) managing director Irene Muyenga, Petronella Chisanga formerly of Zambia National Holdings Limited, Elizabeth Mataka the vice president of the Global Funds on HIV/AIDS and recently appointed United Nations special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa and Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika who is Zambia's representative to the United States and also African Union losing contestant for chairperson, are all discernible examples of women that have made it in top leadership.
The banking world appears one other place where women are proving their mantle. Standard Chartered Bank recently appointed Mrs Mizinga Melu as managing director and Indo Zambia Bank board is headed by another woman, Ms Orlean Moyo and the National Airports Corporation director Ms Chilufya Kapwepwe was succeeded by another woman, Mrs Monde Wood.
Among others are Margaret Mwanakatwe currently the managing director of Barclays Bank in Ghana, Nkandu Luo the first Zambian woman professor, Lombe Chibesakunda the first Zambian woman judge and Charity Lumpa, the former managing director of the Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB), now Zambia Tourist Board.
Notable achievements have been recorded, a step worth commending!
Government, too, has deliberately appointed women to key decision making positions that include the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mutale Nalumango, clerk of the National Assembly Doris Mwinga, all female MPs from the ruling party are also cabinet and deputy ministers.
There are also three Supreme Court and seven High Court female judges.
But examples of dismal failures of women leadership also abound in Zambia. Some studies which focused on the differences in perceived stereotypical expectations of women and men, generally indicated that men were perceived as better suited than women for leadership roles.
Tamara Kambikambi, chairperson of the Women Lobby Group, at a workshop told participants drawn from different political parties to develop a clear understanding of both the international and local instruments.
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