ASPIRING, SITTING MPS COMPLETE TRAINING

August 2, 2004 - (The Herald) Ninety aspiring women parliamentarians, sitting legislators and former women Members of Parliament last week completed a two-day training session where calls were made for the lobbying of political parties to restructure for the advancement of women in politics.

The training, held in preparation for next year's general elections, focused on how to increase the participation of women in the political realm.

Participants noted that despite the existence of a policy by Government and manifestos by political parties proclaiming an increased role for women in national affairs this was not being honoured.

It was agreed that women should heavily lobby their various political parties to ensure that the quota system was implemented.

Participants recommended that sitting women MPs should automatically qualify as candidates to represent their constituencies again as a way of maintaining and incre- asing the number of women in Parliament.

They also called for transparency in the selection of candidates for primary elections within political parties as in the past the polls had been shrouded in secrecy.

Women, participants said, should unite in denouncing political violence that characterised the selection of candidates in primary elections and during the actual polls.

Aspiring women parliamentarians were urged to be familiar with the election process, especially verification which includes the inspection of the voters' roll and attendance at the nomination court which accepts or rejects candidates.
Participants agreed that the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Regional Parliamentary Caucus, which ran the training workshop, should constantly remind the regional Heads of State on the need to fulfil the regional gender resolution on the participation of women in politics.

According to the 1997 Sadc Decla-ration on Gender and Development, women parliamentarians must constitute 30 percent of the total number of legislators.

The participants also resolved to lobby the media so that it highlights positive issues about women and not dwell on negative stereotypes.

Workshop participants were drawn from the ruling Zanu-PF, opposition MDC and Zanu and independent aspiring women parliamentarians in addition to the Sadc Regional Parliamentary Caucus delegation.

There has been growing concern about women's static or falling representation in the Government and politics in Zimbabwe, which has remained skewed in favour of men.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200408020883.html