Gender, Politics and the Quest for Equality in Zimbabwe: Reflections on the 2018 Harmonised Elections

Abstract

This article argues that women can make a difference if given a chance to claim their equal share and representation in the political arena. Zimbabwe, like many other African countries in the world, has more women than men (52% and 48%, respectively). Due to the dominance and discrimination of patriarchal societies in most countries, women are always marginalised in all facets of life, be it social, political or economic, irrespective of the fact that they are the majority. The international community realised the need to bring gender parity into the world because women are not contributing their maximum potential in intellectual and physical capabilities, costing the world a major percentage in sustainable development inputs, initiatives and progress. Despite the existence of legal instruments promising equality between men and women, women remain outnumbered in most decision-making positions, rendering policies and laws ineffective. Gender equality for most women in Zimbabwe and the world at large is just an illusion. The article examines the 2018 harmonised elections ‘processes, challenges and opportunities that could have been encountered by women countrywide in their political careers.