Harare — GOVERNMENT says it will assist women in all sectors as it intensifies efforts to empower them and promote gender equity.

Women Affairs Secretary Dr Sylvia Masango said a lot of women countrywide were involved in small businesses but were lacking financial support to boost their businesses.

"About 70 percent of women across the country are engaged in small businesses and our ministry is going to work hand-in- hand with the Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development to help women expand their businesses," said Dr Masango.

"To ensure food security at household level, we have incorporated in our work plans measures to help women in agriculture."

She said her ministry would soon convene a meeting with women involved in mining to explore ways of augmenting their businesses.

"Efforts are afoot to convene a mining indaba for women to find ways of assisting them to enhance their businesses. At the moment, we are collecting data on how women in mining are conducting business," she said.

Turning to the ongoing constitution-making process, Dr Masango said they had lined up programmes across the country to encourage women to participate in the crafting of a new constitution.

She urged women to take advantage of the constitution-making process to make significant contributions so that their voices are heard.

"We have lined up sensitisation programmes to conscientise women so that they take part in the constitution-making process. As women, we are saying we should have equal representation with our male counterparts in all sectors of the economy.

"This year we also want to work vigorously towards the eradication of domestic violence.

"Although eradication might take time what we want is a prosperous and empowered Zimbabwean woman who enjoys gender balance and equity," said Dr Masango.

She said the Anti-Domestic Violence Commission had already trained anti-domestic violence counsellors, who would help to educate people on domestic violence issues.

Dr Masango said the commission would soon ask the Ministry of Justice to establish a Violence Victim Friendly Court to deal with violence cases brought before the police.