THE Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has appealed to the President-Elect Hakainde Hichilema to consider nominating women for the eight Members of Parliament positions in order to cushion the low numbers of females currently elected.
NGOCC board chairperson Mary Mulenga said from the organization’s preliminary data analysis, the number of women elected to both at Parliamentary and local government fell far below 20 and eight per cent respectively.
Ms. Mary said in a statement that it was saddening that the country had missed another opportunity to narrow the gender gap on achieving the 50-50 women and men representation in political positions.
“It is therefore NGOCC’s expectation that the Republican President will consider nominating women for the eight Member of Parliament positions in order to cushion the low numbers of women in Parliament,” she said.
Ms. Mulenga said to a large extent, NGOCC had noted with sadness the continued discrimination of women from both participating and benefiting from the various developmental processes citing the just-ended elections, as one which Zambia had once again missed the opportunity to narrow the gender gap on achieving the 50-50 women and men representation in political positions.
She appealed the new Government to prioritize the country’s legal and policy reforms and ensure that no one was left behind.
Ms. Mulenga said national programme design and implementation should also be done in a way that leaves no one behind and that the United Party for National Development Alliance administration should focus on workable and effective development strategies that would emancipate the poor and vulnerable and help in narrowing the gender divide between women and men.
She also appealed to the new leadership to operationalize the Gender Equity and Equality Act (GEEA) by establishing the Gender Commission.
Ms. Mulenga further congratulated President-Elect Hichilema on his election and saluted outgoing President Edgar Lungu for accepting the election results.
She said it was therefore, NGOCC’s expectation that Zambia remained on the trajectory for all other elections and democratic processes now and in the future.
Ms. Mary pledged that NGOCC would continue discharging it’s watchdog role and providing checks and balances to the new Government in an objective, professional and independent manner.
