HARARE – President Mnangagwa has sworn in three new commissioners for the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC), underscoring the government’s commitment to promoting gender equality and addressing key challenges affecting women and girls in the country.
The new commissioners, Walter Tonderayi Mufuka, Angeline Vere, and Jigu Katsande, have pledged to hit the ground running and ensure that gender balance and representation prevail in Zimbabwe.
Ms. Vere, one of the newly sworn-in commissioners, expressed her determination to champion equality for women and girls.
She emphasized the importance of preserving marriages as vital institutions.
“I think we would like to ensure that we keep marriages intact because it is a vital institution,” she said.
Mr. Katsande, another commissioner, highlighted the need to raise awareness among males from an early age about the dangers of abusive behavior.
He stressed the importance of educating the boy child, from early childhood development (ECD) to university, to understand that abusing the girl child is wrong.
“We want the boy child to understand that it is wrong to abuse the girl child,” he stated.
Mr. Mufuka, the third commissioner, expressed his strong support for the upliftment of the girl child.
He acknowledged the challenges faced by women and girls, such as child marriages and early pregnancies leading to school dropouts.
As a lawyer himself, he aims to complement the efforts in these areas.
The chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Mrs. Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe, stressed that the Commission remains committed to championing gender equality and improving women’s professional and social statuses.
The ZGC has been actively working on various issues affecting women, such as their participation in politics and leadership positions, sexual harassment, and child marriages.
They have also been engaging with traditional and religious leaders to address gender stereotypes and challenges related to women and girls in Zimbabwe.
The appointment of these commissioners underscores the government’s commitment to addressing gender-related challenges and promoting gender equality in the country.
