Women in rural areas are disadvantaged – Luo

Gender and Child Development Minister Professor Nkandu Luo has challenged fellow women in leadership positions to help uplift the lives of women in rural areas.

Speaking during a discussion meeting organised by the Zambia National Women’s Lobby ahead of the commemoration of the international women’s day in Lusaka today, Professor Luo says women in rural areas are disadvantaged and are living in extreme poverty when they have the potential to contribute to national development.

Professor Luo says there is need to help women in rural areas explore their potential.

She adds that women in Zambia need to be encouraged in order to achieve the 50% percent women representation in decision making processes.

Professor Luo states that 50 years after independence, things should change for the better in the country and women should be the agents of that change.

Professor Luo says it should start with women to make gender their agenda.

She further states that women should begin to involve men and boys in their programmes if gender equality has to be attained at all levels.

Speaking earlier, Zambia National Women’s Lobby Chairperson Beauty Katebe urged women to endeavor to explain and demonstrate to stakeholders and the general populous the benefits of the inclusion of women at all levels of decision making.

Ms. Katebe stresses that women can only garner the necessary impetus for gender to be on everyone’s agenda if actions towards gender equality are based on the conviction that women are capable leaders who deserve to be present in all decision making processes and not appeasements.

She has further urged women not to relax or relent because of what they have achieved so far but forge ahead to attain the 50% women representation in decision making positions.