The ManicaPost
On Sunday March 8, 2020, Zimbabweans will join the rest of the world in commemorating International Women’s Day, which is running under the global theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights.”
The theme is aligned with UN Women’s new multigenerational campaign, Generation Equality, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, the Beijing Platform for Action is recognised as the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls across the whole world.
The year 2020 is pivotal in advancing gender equality worldwide, as the global community takes stock of progress made for women’s rights since the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action.
It will also mark several other galvanizing moments in the gender equality movement: a five-year milestone towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; the 20th anniversary of UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security; and the 10th anniversary of UN Women’s establishment.
The emerging global consensus is that despite some progress, real change has been agonisingly slow for the majority of women and girls in the world. Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality.
Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. Women and girls continue to be undervalued; they work more and earn less and have fewer choices; and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces. Furthermore, there is a significant threat of roll back of hard-won feminist gains.
The year 2020 represents an unmissable opportunity to mobilise global action to achieve gender equality and human rights of all women and girls. Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister Dr Sithembiso Nyoni is on record as saying International Women’s Day commemorations are guided by the need to celebrate women’s achievements and raise awareness on gender issues and concerns.
Some of these issues include revisiting social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure for gender equality.
Government is also seeking to develop innovative ways to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women. It also seeks to facilitate achievement of sustainable development goals and coming up with innovative approaches to women empowerment.
The International Women’s Day was set aside in 1975 by the United Nations to give official recognition to women’s voices.
Each year, the day is celebrated under a different theme, which member states can adjust to suit their situations. — unwomen.org/herald.com
