WOMEN should broaden their scope of leadership to all spheres of life and not only focus on politics, gender activists have urged.
Speaking at the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) meeting on women leadership on Wednesday, gender activist Thembie Moyo said women often limit their leadership positions to politics.
“We (women) usually think of leadership in terms of politics and political affiliation. Rather women should view leadership as simply about women participation in all sectors and levels of society,” she said.
Moyo believes women should have influence in the family, community, church and business.
Gender activist and journalist Evidence Chipadza said women should take a leading role in addressing gender stereotypes at family level.
“We should debunk gender stereotyping from childhood. There is need to instil confidence in the girl child that her place in society is not limited to the kitchen. Let the girl child assume roles that have been traditionally limited to men,” she said
GRRA programmes officer Fadzai Kanyai said as Zimbabwe prepared for the harmonised elections scheduled for August 23, women should support each other to win political seats.
“Usually men in politics denigrate aspiring women politicians and label them people of loose morals among other derogatory words,” she said.
“Unfortunately, women join the bandwagon in denigrating other women and even go on to vote for men who will be contesting against fellow women.”