Maravi

Women shouldn’t relent in their fight for equality - Masebo

Women shouldn’t relent in their fight for equality - Masebo
By Bright Mukwasa and Masuzyo Chakwe
Wed 09 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT

WOMEN should not relent in their fight for equality, justice and peace, says Sylvia Masebo. And the Catholic Church has urged political parties to adopt more women to stand in this year's general elections.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom says Zambia will never reach its full potential if Zambian women and girls are held back. Speaking at a Lions Club dinner dance on Monday at Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka, Masebo said society needed to consider the steps required to achieve equality of opportunity for both men and women.

Masebo, who is also Chongwe MMD member of parliament, said society needed to strive towards public policies that would break down barriers that disadvantaged women from taking up science courses.

“It's important that public policy should invest in science in order to empower women scientifically,” she said.

Masebo hailed this year's theme for the International Women's Day - “Acess to education, training, science and technology, a pathway to decent work for women” - as timely and in line with the push for women's advancement in society.

She called on women around the world to continue fighting for equality, justice and peace.

And Masebo, also a Lions Club member, said efforts by the club to put up a mourner's shelter at the University Teaching Hospital was a noble cause that needed the community's support.

She said the construction of the shelter was aimed at according decency to mourners and their relatives in hospital.

Masebo said the club was trying to raise K100 million to complete the shelter.

Meanwhile, Woodlands Lions Club president Judy Kakanda said it was important for society to work together to achieve a common good for the country.

And in a message to mark International Women's Day yesterday, Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) spokesperson Father Paul Samasumo said so much had been said about the SADC target of involving 50 per cent of women in political decision-making by 2015.

“What is lacking now is implementation. We hope our political parties will not merely pay lip-service to the SADC target, but muster the political will needed for this nation to turn a chapter in women's representation. There is definitely no shortage of women to fill these positions,” Fr Samasumo said.

“Today, as we celebrate International Women's Day, the Catholic Church wants to salute all the women of Zambia. On this day, we wish to underline our recognition for the many women in Zambia who through daily struggle still manage to feed, clothe, shelter and keep their families together. In fact, they keep this nation together.”

He said the Church recognised and commended the women in the various churches. Fr Samasumo said women were the majority in congregations and the backbone of many churches and parishes.

“We rarely get the opportunity to say how proud of them and grateful to them we are. In the Catholic Church we are also grateful to our religious sisters (nuns) who work in our schools and health centres, some of them work under very difficult conditions and sometimes in very remote rural places. To them all, we say thank you,” he said.

Fr Samasumo said the Catholic Church could not remain passive over the many unjust situations that women in this country faced. And a joint statement from British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom Carter and head of the UK's Department for International Development Zambia Mike Hammond, said some would question whether it was right to have a women's day, viewing it as discriminatory against men.

“It could be argued that men are fast becoming the disempowered sex and just as in need of a special day in their honour,” the pair said.

However, they added that "the situation on the ground" should be taken into account.

“Eighty two per cent of female headed households in Zambia live in extreme poverty. Women and young girls are twice as likely to contract HIV. Forty seven per cent of women have experienced domestic violence - 60 per cent at the hands of partners or husbands. Maternal mortality, although reduced, is still very high at 591 per 100,000 live births. Only 47 per cent of births are assisted by skilled health workers and literacy rates of 64 per cent for women compare with 82 per cent for men.”

Labels: SYLVIA MASEBO, WOMEN

posted by MrK @ 2:14 PM