BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE– The moral and ethical justifications for gender equality are unmistakable, but the economic justifications for inclusion and equality are as clear-cut and Kwakha Indvodza wants to make sure there is more voice for women in Eswatini.
According to the World Bank’s Women, Business, and the Law 2022 report, 2.4 billion women of working age do not have access to equitable economic opportunities, and 178 nations continue to erect legislative obstacles that limit their ability to fully engage in economic life.
Around the world, 95 countries do not guarantee equal pay for equal work, while 86 countries restrict the employment of women in some way.
Women still only have 76.5 out of a potential 100 rights, which is a shame really and total legal impartiality, or three-quarters of the rights granted to men globally.
According to research, 23 countries changed their legislation in 2021 to take much-needed actions to advance women’s economic inclusion despite the worldwide pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women’s lives and livelihoods.
On this Siphesihle Dlamini; Advocacy, Communication and Training Coordinator at Kwakha Indvodza said women in Eswatini face multiple legal, social, and economic challenges which prevent them from participating in, or earning good incomes from economic activities in the informal and formal sector.
“US Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Fund (W-GDP), American Bar Association, Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), Grameen Foundation USA and Kwakha Indvodza (KI) with the support of USAID working closely with government and civil society organization intends to advocate for women participation in the economy of Eswatini from three dimensions,” he said.
One of the dimensions includes legal reform which seeks to address laws that limit women’s freedom to participate in the economy and society more fully. Financial inclusion will also be tackled so to increase women’s access to finance to start and grow businesses.
Dlamini said the last dimension to be looked at is gender equality which seeks to engage male champions of women’s rights to address gender beliefs and practices that affect women negatively
“Over the past three years, KI and partners have been working closely with; Women and girls suffering discrimination, economic disempowerment, or violence within target communities, boys and men in target partner organisations through an increased understanding of their role in enabling women’s meaningful participation in the economy and partners both CSO and private sector through engagement, capacity building and establishing strong networks,” he said.
Worth noting is that, these three components have functions independently and as a unit to actively achieve the goal; a simple at first glance goal yet profound.
“Women cannot achieve equality in the workplace if they are on an unequal footing at home,” said Carmen Reinhart, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank Group. “That means levelling the playing field and ensuring that having children does not mean women are excluded from full participation in the economy and realising their hopes and ambitions.
