EJWP Slams Mthuli Ncube for Sidelining Young Women
Economic Justice for Women Project (EJWP) has slammed Finance minister, Mthuli Ncube’s policies for accelerating limited participation of women in economic governance issues amid calls for authorities to be gender-sensitive.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com this week (EJWP) executive director, Margaret Mutsamvi said the current plans to commercialise parastatals tabled in the National Development Strategy (NDS1) will do more harm than good for women.
“The NDS 1 thrust towards fiscal consolidation/full or partial privatisation of public institutions to reduce government expenditure will cost ordinary citizens especially young women in the limited provision of basic public services as they shift from provision of social welfare to becoming profit- inclined,” she said.
Mutsamvi criticised the plans for threatening social security for marginalised groups as young women in the informal sector in peri-urban communities and other deprived contexts.
The NDS aims at reducing fiscal risks emanating from State Owned Enterprises (SOEs), by expediting SOEs reforms targeting commercialisation, improved governance, provision of services at viable prices, full or partial privatisation, outright disposals and amalgamation of some of the SOEs into existing government departments.
“The quality public services being availed by some of these SOEs are essential in overcoming exclusion, systemic discrimination and because women’s reduced economic and political power means they are often less likely to afford privatised services.
“When public services are diminished and delivered at a profit, women are forced to fill in the gaps of delivering health and social care, acquiring water and energy and thereby provide an unpaid subsidy to the state and economy. Consequently, privatisation increases the gendered burden of unpaid work,” she said.
She said Finance and Economic policing in Zimbabwe has become a privilege of the executive, as formulation now comes in the form of Statutory Instruments that are executive in nature and fail to consider the voice and plight of ordinary citizens thereby disadvantaging women who are the majority.
EJWP bemoaned the fact that most government ministries do not clear-cut gender policies which makes it impossible for ministries to enforce gender budgeting and planning at ministerial level.
“There is therefore need for stakeholders to build women power to influence gender-responsive economic governance. Enhancing their fiscal literacy and creating a safe space for women to self-organise and speak out against socio-economic injustices,” added Mutsamvi.
By New Zimbabwe.
