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By Nomore Chinoda
An old adage says if you think knowledge is unimportant, try ignorance, a state of not knowing is undesirable for anyone and is more devastating when a woman does not know because she is likely to transfer her ignorance to her offspring and there results more ignorant men and women.

Zimbabwe is favoured with abundant natural, human and cultural resources yet Zimbabweans remain poor and most of them are women because their empowerment has been a major challenge.

Despite Zimbabwe launching an Information and Communication Technology policy last year, a lot of gaps are yet to be filled since women are still trailing the use of ICTs. Zimbabwean women are being encouraged to master the basic competences of ICTs since it gains them some level of empowerment, improve their livelihoods as well as boosting self-confidence.

Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) Communications Officer Natasha Msonza’s recent statements offer more credence on the importance of empowering women through ICTs.

Addressing delegates in debate held by the US Embassy Public Affairs Section in Harare recently, Msonza said the uptake of ICTs has been exciting in Zimbabwe but there is need for responsible authorities to educate women more on use of ICTs since they are being bypassed.

“Development practitioners working for women empowerment must necessarily build on the opportunities that ICTs provide to enhance participation and engagement of women,” she said.

She also said women must take advantage of ICTs to venture into business and enhance development.
“E-Commerce is an essential gold mine for women in developing countries to venture into business. The extent to which women are able to use ICTs in business is critical to ensure progress along areas of development,” she added.
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Zimbabwe’s Former Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Jessie Majome says women empowerment through ICTs is critical for gender equity.

“ICTs enhance women to take part in social trends thereby promoting gender equality, by empowering a woman, the whole nation may also be empowered,” she alluded.

She also called policy-makers to formulate social media policies to catch people young.
Meanwhile, both Msonza and Majome expressed joy saying women’s views have been adopted in the constitution making process something which raised gender equity to higher levels in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) is an information based organization committed to gender equality and equity. The organization promotes women’s rights and empowerment by advocating for social and economic justice in Zimbabwe and globally.

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