Staff Reporter

The Women’s Day commemorations will this year focus on the achievements of sustainable gender equality, in light of climate change and the challenges it presents to women as they thrive to interact with the environment in their lives and livelihoods.

This was said by the Minister of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Sithembiso Nyoni during a press statement to mark the day.

“Women represent a high percentage of poor communities that are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihoods, particularly in rural areas where they shoulder the major responsibility to the family upkeep including household water supply and energy for cooking and heating as well as for food security, whereas this burden of care is not recognised in terms of remuneration.

“During extreme weather such as droughts, cyclones and floods, women tend to work more to restore and secure household livelihoods.  This will leave less time for women to access training and education, develop skills or participate in the economic mainstay, thus gender equality remains low,” said Minister Nyoni.

Minister Nyoni further emphasised on the need to economically empower women and girls in order to ensure gender equality.

“It is imperative that we economically empower women and girls as a sustainable way to achieve gender equality and this can be achieved through various empowerment programmes that my Ministry and partners provide such as access to finance and markets, capacity building, provision of technology and workspace among others,” she said.

Meanwhile, the month of March has been declared the women’s month, as such, the commemorations will continue at national, provincial and district levels.  The Ministry of Women’s Affairs has organised a procession for women that commences from Africa Unity Square and congregates at the Harare Gardens, where there will be a 100 women and organisations exhibiting different wares and products, solidarity messages will be shared and free health services for women will be provided.

The International Women’s Day theme for this year is “Gender Equality for a sustainable tomorrow”, while the National theme is “Gender Mainstreaming and Women Empowerment in Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management.”