ZAMBIA: ZNWL Urges More Space for Women

The Zambia National Women's Lobby (ZNWL) says there is need to create an enabling environment that promotes the participation and representation of women in decision making processes of the country.

Speaking during the women in politics community consultative meeting held at Mansa Lodge, ZNWL programme manager Emma Mwiinga noted that the pattern of women's education that prepares them primarily for home duties and the reluctance of men to accept women as equal partners had discouraged greater female participation in politics.

"The men are however, prepared to seek female support to their various political parties in terms of votes and financial support but fall short of encouraging their election to political office. What is amazing the general discourse is that women do not on the other hand take kindly to their womenfolk aspiring to political office," she said.

Mwiinga said it was from this view that the ZNWL continued to be committed to promoting the equal representation of women through advocacy, lobbying and capacity building in order to enable them effectively participate in decision making at all levels.

Present at the meeting were, among others, United Party for National Development (UPND), Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD), Patriotic Front (PF) and National Restoration Party (NAREP) representatives.

Earlier, ZNWL provincial board member Christine Sikombe disclosed that gender equality was key in the promotion of human rights.

Sikombe also said the objective of the meeting was to demonstrate the role that women play in promoting democracy and good governance within political parties and the nation at large and also understanding the role that political party structures play in promoting women's participation in decision making.

She urged women to demonstrate their potential and turn up in large numbers to aspire for political office in the forthcoming 2016 general elections.

Sikombe said from the previous elections, Copperbelt Province produced four female members of parliament, Western three, Eastern two and Lusaka two while Northern Province was represented by two, Luapula one and one from North Western Province.