Government Committed To Ensuring Gender Equality

Southern Province Minister, Cornelius Mweetwa says government is committed to achieving gender equality and empowering women despite the abolition of the Ministry of Gender.

During a meeting with a delegation led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative Lionel Laurens, who visited the Provincial offices in Choma yesterday, Mr Mweetwa reminded UNDP of the government’s goal to place women in 50 percent of decision-making positions.

“We would like to reiterate government’s commitment to gender equality and women empowerment beyond the structural existence of a ministry,” he said.

Mr Laurens said UNDP plans to work with various parliamentary committees that support the empowerment of women to promote the implementation of legislation that protects women from all forms of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Gender Division Assistant Director for Gender Rights and Protection, Nchimunya Nkombo said the collaboration between UNDP and government will ensure sustainability of projects in the fight against GBV.

Meanwhile, Mr Mweetwa says government is determined to rehabilitate economic feeder roads to provide the much needed social and economic services to the rural communities to combat gender inequality.