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Padare to engage Matebeleland traditional leaders on Constitutional making process
Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender
March 11, 2010

Bulawayo Activity

Padare/Enkundleni in collaboration with Musasa Project will be in Bulawayo tomorrow, Friday the 12th of March 2010, to hold a sensitization meeting with the traditional and religious leaders on the new constitution making process. A total number of about two hundred leaders from Matebeleland North and South are expected to attend the meeting.

This is a preparatory session for the forthcoming Zimbabwe Constitution Consultative Outreach programme aimed at conscientising the leaders on the need to advocate for women's empowerment with respect to having access and control to the necessary resources that will fully uplift the status of women.

Speaking ahead of the programme on why the programme is targeting the traditional and religious leaders, the Padare/Enkundleni Programmes Coordinator Mr Eddington Mhonda said, "As the custodians and guardians of tradition, they are key players in redefining culture and tradition to promote the acknowledgement and support of women's ability to deliver since the subjugation of women is vested in the traditional practises which is a phenomenon of the patriarchal system. In addition, they are critical in mobilising communities for the welfare and well being of families and communities."

The similar activity shall be carried out in other Provinces namely Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands. The provisional dates set for these activities are 18, 23 and 25 March 2010 respectively.

Chinhoyi Activity

In Mashonaland West Province, Padare/Enkundleni Chinhoyi Chapter will be participating at this year's Provincial commemoration of the International Women's Day spearheaded by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development. One important thing that the Padare/Enkundleni men will be doing is to echo their support for women's participation in decision making processes

Meanwhile, the organisation is set to participate at the National commemoration of International Women's Day set for Friday 19 March 2010 at the Chitungwiza Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza. This is an event spearheaded by the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development.

Gweru Activity

In the Midlands Province, Padare/Enkundleni is set to introduce its Schools Programme in the province. To kick start the process a stakeholders meeting shall be convened in Gweru at the Village Lodge on the 17th of March 2010. The aim of the meeting is to sensitize the various key stakeholders on the objectives of the programme and its operational parameters.

The programme which is entitled, Engaging, Challenging and Inspiring Young Men to make Health Choices and Prevent Gender Based Violence targets boys in secondary and high schools of both Gweru rural and urban. This is part of the organisation's efforts in building a vibrant men's movement for a gender just by engaging boys, a strategy that fulfils the old adage that says, "It is easier to educate a young child than to repair an old person." The implementation of this programme will be based on the recommendations that came out of the Padare/Enkundleni baseline survey- The Boy Child's Voice: A Dimension to Children's Rights, Sexuality, Sexual Abuse, Reproductive Health, Gender Based Violence and Impact of Hegemonic Masculinities on the Boy Child In Zimbabwe.

The Padare/Enkundleni Schools Programme Officer for Gweru Mr Paul Juru said, "This initiative aims at ushering a new generation of men that is gender sensitive and that respects the upholding of women's rights. In addition, it provides a platform to engage the boys in redefining manhood since much of the challenges that the boy child of Zimbabwe is facing today has some cultural underpinnings vested in the socialization process of children."

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