Women empowerment is not men’s disempowerment

I have had friends who panic and fume whenever the topic gender equality or women empowerment is raised. To start with, women empowerment does not mean men’s disempowerment.

We are in an era that is recognising that women have in the past been disadvantaged.

The girl child has been relegated to domestic work with the boys concentrating on education when poverty hit the communities and families could not afford fees for all their children.

The girl child was sacrificed on the basis that she would get married and become a mother, wife and be taken care of by the husband.

Besides, she would only be making rich the family she is married to while because of the patrilineage the boys would retain the riches in the family and take care of the family.

So women did not need education and a successful career, it was assumed.

It is time to strip off the stereotype of men as the sole provider. It is time to open doors for women from the private to the public domain and accept them as equal players who can contribute as effectively as men whether as housewives or breadwinners.

So if you are a man, experience a new day, wake up to be a new person who is for the empowerment of women without being sceptical that it is an injury to your power.

And if you are a woman, stand up and believe, dream openly and big for that matter.

It is not a crime.

You have been taught not to have ambitions and not to dream big, it is time to believe ambitions are not just for men, ambitions are for humans and
you are one with that human right.

Women need to rise with the help of men, who are naturally on an elevated level in this patriarchal society.

Men need to give them a hand and help them on their feet to work together as equal partners.

So brother, give your sister a hand and respect her, husband help your wife up and value her and grandpa and grandma tell your grandkids tales that value women and girls. Together we can only be stronger!

Strong women, better world!

Twitter: @GraceZimbabwe

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