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Gender debates trivialised
Memory Joe, Chairperson, Crisis in Zimbabwe
March 11, 2004

http://www.crisis.org.zw/Opinions/opinion2.htm

The International Women’s Day is an occasion for women to celebrate their gender and reflect on the success and challenges that they face in all spheres of life. The presence of women’s organizations and the multitude of conferences that have been held all point to the fact that indeed there is something very wrong with the way gender issues are dealt with.

To celebrate this day The Herald carried an editorial comment which exhorted the working women to be masters of their own destinies.

Women are reminded that they had to stand up and prove their worth instead of sucking their thumbs while waiting for promotions to come their way.

So myopic was the editorial that the writer had to stoop so low as to suggest that women shy away from responsibilities showing that they are not ready for advancement. Granted, The Herald is a political media but that does not give it the license to trivialize the tribulations that women are subjected to at workplaces.

The woman who is being urged to go that extra mile is the same one who is already going that distance and some more. Most men take credit for work that has been done by women and this is even more relevant in newsrooms.

The situation is more glaring in the state owned media where promotions are based on partisan lines which means the young upstart who knows who and where to lick is more likely to be promoted at the expense of that already overworked woman who is being urged to work harder.

I take great exception to the simplistic and puerile manner in which the Herald deals with one of the most fundamental human rights. No human right is subordinate to another. It is high time the hardcore patriarchs take stock of what they have done themselves to help women to be more visible at workplaces.

A record of one female editor since 1980 for all its titles is a stinking record by any standards and is no way a trey reflection of journalistic talent among Zimbabwean women. Two female editors – magazine editors not included – in the whole country’s history makes a joke of the whole journalistic fraternity’s commitment to gender equity. Evidently there are more forces at play than just lack of commitment on the women’s part.

The media industry has to seriously consider the incorporation of the SADC Gender and Development Declaration in their staffing programmes. The declaration calls for a minimum of 30 percent women representation in positions of power and decision making by 2005.

I advocate for the full adoption of the National Gender Policy document which was launched on the International Women’s Day by the Ministry of Youth Development, Gender and Employment Creation for the wholesome development of all workers despite their sex. No country can claim it is truly democratic and progressive if it treats its women as second-class citizens or worse as unreasonable spoilt brats who cry for what does not belong to them.

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