The government has challenged women to link themselves to bigger export markets in order to fully participate in the economic development of the country.
Addressing the Spotlight Light Bulb Moments-4th Edition today, Minister of Women Affairs Small & Medium Enterprises Sthembiso Nyoni said women should be part of the value chain.
“Zimbabwean women are not linked with big markets out there hence they remain small. I urge them to link themselves out there so that they export to bigger markets and be able to control what they produce,” she said.
Nyoni further called on women to join mining and agriculture sectors in order to expose themselves to economic development.
“We already have women in agriculture and mining. I urge them to add value to their products. they should be able to produce, process and export to bigger markets. Lets not limit this to upper classes or men. Lets go for the gold,” she added.
Nyoni said she will continue to rally behind women for them to become economic giants and also increase women participation in business.
Women empowerment and participation in economic activities is important if the country is to achieve Vision 2030 of transforming the nation into a middle-income economy.
Government has shown commitment to achieving gender equality and women empowerment by ratifying a number of gender related international and regional protocols, which include the United Nations Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA), the African Union Charter on the Rights of Women and the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Gender and Development (SADCPGD).
