UPND SHOCKS NGOCC OVER APPOINTMENT OF LESS WOMEN IN DECISION MAKING POSITIONS
Lusaka ~ Wed, 29 Sept 2021
By Brightwell Chabusha
The Non-governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) is disappointed with the United Party for National Development (UPND) new dawn government’s inclination to appointing men to strategic decision-making positions.
In a statement, NGOCC executive director Engwase Mwale stated that the ruling party has again missed the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to gender equality and promoting women’s participation in leadership going by the latest appointments of State House Advisors, Attorney General, Solicitor General, Bank of Zambia Governor and Permanent Secretaries.
“As we stated before regarding the nominated positions to Parliament, where we appealed for gender balance, sadly we have noted that out of the eight (08) nominated Members of Parliament, only two (02) are women. As the focal point of the women’s movement, NGOCC does not think that Zambia is short of qualified women who would meet the criteria for appointments to key public positions. While we congratulate those that have been appointed thus far, we note that women continue being hindered from progressing into public spaces as leaders,” Ms Mwale stated.
She stated that it is such systemic exclusions that give credence to the assertation that the society remains largely patriarchal amid various cultural and social norms.
“It is further undisputable that women in Zambia constitute 51% of the population and should be recognized for their unique perspectives and contribution to various development processes. We therefore wish to call upon our new dawn government to uphold Article 259 (b) of the Republican Constitution which clearly states that: “Where a person is empowered to make a nomination or an appointment to a public office, that person shall ensure that fifty percent of each gender is nominated or appointed from the total available positions unless it is not practicable to do so,” Ms Mwale stated.
She stated that NGOCC looks forward to the new administration to do things differently and to make inclusiveness, equal participation of women and men and consensus building as an integral aspect of our governance discourse.
Ms Mwale stated that time is now for our new leadership to ensure that the glass ceiling is removed in order to allow more women ascend to key decision-making positions.
