NGOCC condemns ‘SEXIST’ comment against Female Parliamentarian
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HEALTH Minister SYLVIA MASEBO with participants
Press Statement
21st October 2022
THE Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has been alerted to a sexist point of order raised by Chilubi Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Mulenga Fube against Health Minister, honorable Sylvia Masebo based on her dressing in the House. A quick perusal of Standing Order No. 206 (Dress Code for Members) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, 2021, reveals that there was no abrogation of the dress code by honorable Masebo as prescribed in the Standing Orders.
As the women’s movement, therefore, we condemn in the strongest terms the sexist connotations in the point of order that without doubt infringes on the rights of Hon. Masebo and other women in the House. The point of order is meant to try and reduce women MPs to sex objects for men “and as honorary members of the Men’s club”. The point of order by Hon. Fube goes to further entrench the patriarchal tendencies that are meant to discriminate against women from both participating and benefiting from the various development processes. As we have stated before women just like men, have the right to freely express themselves through their dressing.
Further, it is clear that the statement was well calculated against Hon. Masebo just because she is a woman. Such tendencies have the net effect of discouraging other women from aspiring for leadership positions for fear of being ridiculed simply for being female. We appeal to Hon. Fube and other men that are in the habit of disrespecting women to desist from such tendencies. As opposed to bullying the few women in Parliament, Hon. Fube and others should be more concerned with legislating laws that will enhance women’s participation in decision making at all levels.
As a country we must be concerned that women remain absent from the decision-making tables largely because of such misogynistic tendencies, buttressed by some negative cultural and traditional practices.
ISSUED; for/NGOCC Chairperson Mary Silawve Mulenga
NGOCC Chairperson Mary Silawve Mulenga
