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Q&A: Cross-Border Links to Boost Women’s Economic Empowerment

Stanley Kwenda interviews FLORENCE ZIUMBE, Zimbabwean business leader

HARARE, Sep 10 2009 (IPS) - The Professional Women, Executives and Businesswomen’s Forum (PROWEB) organised a unique investment conference last week in Zimbabwe’s capital where businesswomen from South Africa and Zimbabwe got the opportunity to not only network but forge what may be a unique African association among businesswomen across national borders.

The conference resolved, among others, to create an executive committee that will pursue women’s economic empowerment in both southern African countries.

PROWEB’s members meet to share ideas on how they can increase their participation in economic development. It is led by Harare businesswoman, Florence Ziumbe. The conference was also attended by more than 40 top businesswomen from the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA), an organisation headed by Basetsana Kumalo.

BWASA comprises the top business and professional women in South Africa and was created as a platform for the inspiration and empowerment of women in business. Its membership exceeds 30,000 women.

Stanley Kwenda spoke to Ziumbe about businesswomen’s different experiences in the two countries, the need for affirmative action legislation for women in Zimbabwe and the new regional committee that the sister organisations forged.

IPS: Where did the idea come from to have this investment conference for women? Florence Ziumbe (FZ): A lot has happened to our sisters from across the Limpopo (river that forms the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa) in terms of getting into business. We have had a number of business delegations coming to Zimbabwe with limited representation of women.


One of the business delegations that recently came to Zimbabwe in April from South Africa to look for investment opportunities had only one woman. It is with this background that this conference is very important for Zimbabwean and South African businesswomen.

But we also want to learn from BWASA and its cooperating partners. They have already won legislation for women’s economic empowerment in South Africa and we want to go that direction.

The South African women are already major players in mega ventures in energy generation, distribution, mining, construction and financial industries. We want to learn from them how to shed the skin of small-time tuck-shop operators.

IPS: What did you hope to achieve through this conference? FZ: I hoped a number of deals will be brokered after the conference. We hoped that through this interaction of businesswomen at such a high level meeting, they will be able to start making meaningful contributions to their country’s economies.

We need to see value in dealing with each other as women. This level of organisation can change South African and Zimbabwean women. If we cannot do it ourselves, then we can’t blame men.

IPS: Zimbabwean women are still playing a cameo role in business. What should be done to improve the extent of their economic and business participation? FZ: For a long time men had been at the forefront of setting economic policy and doing business while women were reduced to spectators but now is the time for women to also actively take part in business.

We have been left out at the table where wealth has been distributed and now we want space at that table and we are now ready to occupy that space. Empowering women economically is smart economics.

As women we have resolved to take the bull by the horns. We have realised that if we do not stand for ourselves no man is going to open up economic space for us. We are going to use the space that we have to create business alliances that will catapult women to decision-making level in business and to influencing policy.

IPS: Do you think the government is doing enough in this respect? FZ: The fact that we are now enjoying this space at this conference is testimony that the government is doing its part. Also the fact that Vice President Joyce Mujuru came to participate is testimony that the government is committed to improving the role of women in the economy of our country.

But, while recognising the role that the Zimbabwean government has played in economically empowering women, this has largely remained in the small to medium sectors. Women have enough petty projects and are now ready to partake in multi-million dollar mega initiatives in all sectors of the economy.

We are hopeful that the interaction that we have had with our South African friends will create a rallying point for professionals and businesswomen for active and meaningful participation in the economy.

IPS: Did you achieve your goals? FZ: At the close of the conference we also resolved to promote cooperation between the members of PROWEB and BWASA through appropriate business vehicles such as partnerships and joint ventures and push the products of members in the markets of our two countries.

We will do this through a committe of four members that will have executive authority to implement the resolutions of the conference and to formulate strategy for realising the two sister organisations‘ vision of total economic empowerment of women in the respective countries. So, in a nutshell, we have been successful.

 
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