OPINION: Maybe Together We Women Can Make a Difference…

Living in Zimbabwe as a woman I feel completely disempowered to do anything about the political situation and the effects it has on me and my family. The inclusive government, from what I can gather by the limited information I can access, is not delivering what it said it would after the horrors of 2008.

I understand that Zanu PF and the MDC are not working together in a manner to improve the political situation, alas from what I hear, it is beginning to get worse as talk of another election starts. Rumours of violence and political campaigning are gripping my community.

The decision makers are mostly men and the entrenched patriarchal system and cultural norms makes it ever more difficult for women to participate at any decision making level. In 2008 there were 210 seats and only 30 (14.29%) were taken up by women.

Although at the grass roots level, women are active in mobilizing the electorate to vote in large numbers, their passion and activism is not reflected in positions of power despite making up 50% of the population.

Our political system in Zimbabwe would unquestionably benefit from an increased presence of women. However there are not many women who would voluntarily go into politics in its current state because it is just too difficult and they would rather use their talents to another way.

When I look at my own life, I ache to make a difference in my community, but that decision comes with risks. I know of many people who have become politically conscience have been met with violence, isolation or worse, several have been arrested at some point and even tortured.

And the time it would take to participate in civic or political activities would take me away from my children. Without adequate alternatives for child care, I am shackled from participation before I even begin. I have not however fully investigated my friends' thoughts on this issue, perhaps if enough of us wanted to become involved in our own futures we could take turns with childcare – I don't know?

Women and children have been the hardest hit sector from the political and economic crisis our country has endured. We are responsible for ensuring our children are fed, extended family members are safe and have often been the targets for political oppression through rape and abuse. Our sexual organs have become battle grounds. Yet we have almost no voice. When our men are targets for abuse, they with relative ease flee their homes, and if needed the country with the clothes on their backs. We cannot do that with children.

One woman in my area did become publically involved and became chastised and humiliated because she dared to criticise and speak her mind in an arena regarded as a male space. I don't want that to happen to me.

I have heard of groups like WOZA with its brave members making statements against wrongs in government, but I also hear that they are frequently arrested and beaten. Am I brave enough to go through that, and do I believe it will really make a difference? Perhaps on my own, no. But if enough of us band together our voices will be strong, loud and important.

Surely we should have a voice, and stand shoulder to shoulder with our men and not in their shadow?

I hope we can begin to tackle some of these fears and discriminations as I am tired of having my world decided and created by others who do not understand, nor try to understand my needs and fears. We should begin to build strategic coalitions with our men in politics and find common ground on which to build on. We need a critical mass so we can no longer be dismissed or ignored.

And we must not assume that all men in political positions are gender insensitive. Can we try to identify those who have an open door policy and perhaps learn from them how to best put our ideas across without alienating other men?

But numbers alone are not enough. We must educate ourselves so that when given the opportunity to speak we can participate for the benefit of the women we speak with or on behalf of.

Let's make a difference, take out futures into our own hands and work together with all to bring our beautiful country into a new dispensation of tolerance, peace and growth.