The new draft National Gender Policy is expected to address the shortcomings of the 2004 policy and the emerging issues prevailing under the changing political, economic and social contexts at local, regional and global levels, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Officially opening the policy validation workshop in Harare Wednesday, Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Minister Olivia Muchena said although there have been major achievements under the 2004 policy, there were still some areas that were lagging behind.

She said during the eight years of the implementation of the 2004 NGP, five achievements were recorded.

“The passing of legislation to operationalise the policy, led to the national gender machinery being streamlined and strengthened though the creation of a separate ministry responsible for gender and women affairs,” she said.

The second policy, Minister Muchena said, builds on the achievements of the first policy on the basis of a new constitution.

“The challenges include under-representation of women in politics and the feminisation of poverty. The high rate of unemployed women, and entrenchment of patriarchal norms and attitudes constitute the major barriers to women’s empowerment,” she said.

UNDP Programme Country representative, Ms Verity Nyagah said the UNDP placed gender high on its agenda as a key cross cutting issue hence its financial support.