Young Women’s Round Table Convened

Today, Women’s Institute for Leadership Development conducted an online Young Women’s Roundtable meeting with at least 40 women from Gwanda, Umzingwane and Bulawayo participating.

The meeting allowed women to discuss the current state of service delivery in their different areas and comment about government’s response to COVID-19 within their respective residential suburbs. The following issues were discussed:
Lack of resources to fight COVID-19
Ekusileni Medical Centre has been identified as an isolation centre but the reliance on donations to equip the health facility shows that government is not ready to fight this pandemic. In Gwanda, there is inadequate supply of personal protective equipment (ppe) for frontline workers.

Access to government grants and food aid
The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has been registering names of the vulnerable with the intention of adequately providing cushioning allowances. Young women from Bulawayo said government is failing to provide adequate relief to cushion informal traders during the nationwide lockdown. However, there are delays in the disbursement of these funds and as result the elderly and persons with disabilities, young women, child headed families are being left to fend for themselves.

Young women also said distribution of food aid is being politicised, lacks transparency and corrupt particularly the manner that mealie-meal is sold at local shops.

Price hikes
Businesses have since been inflating prizes of basic commodities, and in as much as government has enforced the prize freeze there are some shops who are not complying with the regulations. Young women added that accessing contraceptives is now a daunting task due to the exorbitant fees that are charged. Depo Provera costs $30ZWL whereas Jadelle is priced at $80ZWL, which is beyond the reach of many young women.

Gender Based Violence
Security forces who are expected to protect citizens are becoming perpetrators of Gender Based Violence. Young women said they expect security officials to exercise restraint and act in a professional manner and not to be abusing women or citizens at large.

Relocation of the khothama and 5th avenue markets
Young women showed skepticism over the decision by Bulawayo City Council (BCC) of relocating vendors from 8th avenue Khothama weekend market and 5th avenue vegetable markets, bemoaning a depletion of income for a majority of vendors and informal traders.