ZIMBABWE: Under-representation of women in parliament disappoints activists

HARARE, 3 May 2005 (IRIN) - Although the recent appointment of a female vice-president is seen as a positive step, gender lobbyists in Zimbabwe continue to agitate for more women in public office.

Since the legislative elections in March 2005, women now represent just 16 percent in parliament, up from 10.6 percent. However, the figure falls far short of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) declaration in 1997, which agreed to a 30 percent target for female representation in national political bodies by 2005.

Gender rights groups said the ruling ZANU-PF party had reneged on a campaign promise to have a third of its seats in parliament filled by women.

Only 20 of the 58 women who vied for the 120 contested seats were elected, 14 of them ZANU-PF and six from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Director of the Women in Politics Support Unit Tsitsi Matekaire said: "After they (ZANU-PF) realised that only 14 [women] had come out of the voting exercise, they should have looked to appoint a fair number of [women as] non-constituency MPs. In discussions with ZANU-PF women, they said they were looking for around seven non-constituency MPs - just the four was not what we expected."

Lovemore Madhuku, a law lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe, told IRIN that internal political wrangling ahead of, and during, the poll had overshadowed other issues, including the need to beef up the number of women in office.

Despite the call for wider representation, gender groups said they were equally concerned that in the past female MPs had not called sufficient attention to the plight of women. Matekaire observed that the most tangible collective achievement of women MPs in the previous parliament had been the enactment of the Sexual Offences Act.

Political analyst Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro also alleged that many of the women who enjoyed more political sway in government were likely to toe the party line.

However, Matekaire was optimistic that women MPs would make a greater contribution. She explained that women could position themselves 'strategically' in committees charged with overseeing the work of government ministries - the powerful public accounts committee, which scrutinised government spending, was formerly chaired by a woman.

Women aligned to the opposition MDC could find it more difficult to play a meaningful role. Matekaire pointed out the previous women's parliamentary caucus had comprised seven MDC women and nine from ZANU-PF, but with the scales now tipped six to 24 in ZANU-PF's favour, these members need not necessarily cooperate.

Trudy Stevenson, the MDC MP for Harare North, was confident of having an impact on decision-making. "Five of us were in the last parliament: we are outspoken and we can stand our ground. We'll keep pushing and trying, but there is still a long way to go," she said.

Madhuku believed the biggest challenge to women lay in political party structures. "The women must win the battle for a voice within their parties first for them to get a voice in parliament," he said. "Parliament is just a formality."

[ENDS]