Kadoma – Zimbabwean women have been urged to fight for the adoption of a people-driven Constitution as the current one has marginalised and deprived the women of new opportunities.

The call was made by the Minister of Public Service, Kuwadzana West MP and the MDC National Executive, Hon. Lucia Matibenga while addressing hundreds of MDC Women’s Assembly members at a forum in Kadoma on Friday. “The current Constitution has allowed women to be marginalised, deprived of new opportunities, to stand for leading political positions while it only favoured our male counterparts to lead and for us to be followers,” said Minister Matibenga.

“The existing Constitution does not give or enable the inclusion of women in decision making positions such as in Cabinet or Parliament, to mention only a few,” she said.

She said that there should be equal representation of women in the Executive, Judiciary or any other public Commissions. She called for strong activism of the women in the Kadoma constituency in order to deliberate on issues and challenges that affect women.

The delegates denounced violence as an instrument used by Zanu PF and called for women’s participation in peace building ahead of the coming elections. “Women are subjected to rape, torture, and forced under duress to do things that they don’t like because they support the MDC,” said Hon. Jessie Majome, the Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development.

Senator Sekai Holland, the Minister of Organ on National Healing said her ministry was fighting hard in ensuring that the women in Zimbabwe were not ill- treated and that their individual rights are respected and not abused. “Women are vulnerable to violence and as an Organ on National Healing, we believe people should be able solve disputes amicably, forgive each other and live peacefully as a community where values are respected.

The forum was attended by several senior MDC national and Mashonaland West provincial officials, MPs and councillors.