Gender stereotype refers to the practice of ascribing to an individual woman or man specific attributes, characteristics, or roles by reason only of her or his membership in the social group of women or men. Gender stereotype is wrong when it results in violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The levels of women representation are far from being reached due to barriers and stumbling blocks. There are fewer women in politics due to patriarchal inconvenience, prejudice, irregularities, manipulation, acts of violence, intimidation, sabotage and silencing of voices. The patriarchal view that men are superior than women still stands and most women are being suppressed to the extent that they cannot give a voice. Women are seen as chore drivers and sex toys.
Furthermore, societal opinions on gender equality, legal policy restrictions and lack of support from government has made an increase in gender stereotype and bias. When it comes to industrial works like mining, only men are allowed to work in such place but there is need to consider that there are matriarchs that need to support their families.
To add, lack of land ownership in rural areas leads is seen as gender stereotyping. Most women in rural areas do agricultural activities yet they don’t own land and representation is far from being reached due to exclusion, lack of capacity building and societal structures.
However, there is need for women emancipation since they are considered the second-class citizens in the day-to-day societies. Women emancipation means to free form restrain, control or the power of another especially from bondage, to release from parental care and responsibility and make sui juris. Therefore, a man who is free from old social limitations and customs considers herself as an emancipated woman.
Women are pushing for their voices to be heard. Through collaborations, courage and harnessing one another in line with male counterparts for compromising reasons, dreams to ender gender stereotype will end.
Some women in Zimbabwe have progressed in the communities they live especially in politics, entertainment, strategic information and research, music and entertainment and sports. They are building resilience in urban peripherals fighting poverty and building nutrition.
As MAYA, we join hands in raising an awareness to end gender stereotype because especially women are seen as the weaker sex and male counterparts therefore take advantage of that. We say let’s choose to challenge and empower women leadership.