The Role of Legislators' Spouses in Law Making

October 7, 2004 - (Financial Gazette - Harare) There are punitive laws that have been passed without careful assessment of their impact on citizens. Some of these laws have even worked against the very legislators.

The current NGO Bill has elements which will make all mothers wonder about the welfare of their children and the future of the country. The Electoral Bill, which does not seek to create an enabling environment, has the potential to trigger violence during election time. The possibility of these bills being passed into law is very high.

One wonders whether all stakeholders are aware of the implications. One of the major stakeholders is the Zimbabwean woman. This article intends to discuss the potential of women parliamentarians to work hand in hand with spouses of male legislators to influence decisions made in Parliament.

Most Zimbabwean women are either Christian or follow African traditional religion. In both religions life is valued and human dignity respected. Women, because of their nature, are more religious hence the appeal to them to practice their convictions. Women have power in their hands. It's high time the power is exercised for the good of the country.

There is need for a woman's touch in Parliament. Women are the ones who mostly take care of the petty details at home and this makes the home a comfortable place to live in. The same is needed for the House (Parliament). Women face the brunt of political, social and economic depredations and are quick to sacrifice themselves in the same. Sometimes issues concerning women and children are not given the same weight as others. Oftentimes issues are not even considered from the perspective of the majority of citizens i.e. women.

This ashamedly includes decisions concerning women that continue to be taken without significant representation from them. It is for this reason that there is need for more feminine voices in parliament.

Women constitute 51percent of the population in Zimbabwe and a disheartening 10 percent is their current representation in Parliament as there are only 15 women out of 150 legislators. Even if women legislators are to vote as women, their combined impact is negligible as compared to the men.

There is a general consensus by women legislators from both sides of the House that there is need for a deliberate policy to increase women representation in the House and other institutions of power. The recent ZANU PF Women's League resolved to push for a woman vice-president at the party's December congress. SADC recommends a minimum of 30 percent women representation in positions of authority, power and decision-making. In the Zimbabwean context this may take longer than we need, perhaps until March 2005, hence the call to wives of legislators to bring the feminine voice to the House through engagement with their spouses as well as working with women legislators.

As spouses of legislators, the contribution starts from the home front by encouraging spouses not to engage in activities that violate other people's rights or prejudice the lives of fellow citizens. In this regard the woman becomes the conscience of the man. By encouraging their spouses to be guided by virtues of truth, mercy, justice and peace, the House will only pass humane laws.

The participation by wives of legislators will increase the number of women voices in parliament from 15 to 150 i.e. 15 women parliamentarians plus 135 proxies.

lFrancisca Mandeya is an activist and mother