Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
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Harsch: In South Africa and Mozambique, women have reached the
benchmark of 30 percent women’s representation in parliament. What’s
the picture across southern Africa?
Ms. Manzini
:
As a sub-region we certainly have a long way to
go. A few countries have been doing well, but there are others
that have regressed. In terms of women in political leadership
positions, the average is only 18 percent. It is way below the
30
percent level we have been calling for, and far below the
50
cent level that the heads of state and government agreed
to in signing the Gender and Development Protocol [of the
Southern African Development Community – SADC]. We
are seeing a lot of change at the local level. Most countries
seem to be doing much better in terms of representation in
local governments. This might be because women work in the
community and are better known at that level.
Women’s political representation is absolutely important
because participation is a basic human right. Women bring
their experiences, knowledge, and capacities, which are dif-
ferent from those that men bring.
Beyond getting into office, how can women better engage with broader
governance issues, including political conflicts?
One of the things that UN Women is doing is building capaci-
ties for women to participate in leadership, but transformative
leadership, so that they can engage from a perspective of basic
human rights and understand broader governance issues and
democracy in general. Some countries are in deep conflict. Our
position is to support women to participate in negotiations, in
mediation, but also in prevention. In Comoros, for instance,
we are working within the context of the UN country team
on a peacebuilding project. Our contribution is to build the
skills of women to understand the issues of gender relations
in peace, in peacebuilding, even in conflicts and how conflicts
happen. Even if they understand that, they need to build al-
lies within the traditional leaderships, among men, with their
partners, etc. We try to engage a more holistic approach to
dealing with such issues.
UN Women coordinates the Africa Unite campaign, which targets
violence against women and girls. What is the main challenge?
Nomcebo Manzini is a busy woman. As the regional director for southern Africa and the
Indian Ocean islands of the UN’s recently created Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women – officially known as UN Women – she is constantly on the
road from one country to another, addressing public gatherings, attending conferences, and
strategizing with government officials and women activists alike. Africa Renewal’s managing
editor, Ernest Harsch, was fortunate to catch Ms. Manzini at her home in Johannesburg,
South Africa, in late March 2011, during a brief stopover in her travels.
Interview with head of UN Women in southern Africa
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