BY EVANS MATHANDA THE Institute for Young Women’s Development (IYWD) says they are still perusing their petitions that were handed over to the Portfolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs in 2019 in call for women’s participation in politics and decision making. IYWD is a private voluntary organisation that works in communities to develop capacitation of young women on human rights and participation with strategic stakeholders to challenge and navigate power over, citizen activism and providing active solidarity to community activists. Speaking in a Zoom meeting yesterday, IYWD team leader Granis Changachirere said they petitioned the parliament following its lethargic approach to implement policies that promotes women’s participation in politics and decision making. “We are still following both petitions we handed over to the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Justice and legal affairs” Changachirere aslo said that Parliament should enact policies that protect women and the girl child to ensure that no one is left behind in any development initiatives. “We call on the parliament to effect electoral policies that penalise political parties that does not comply with gender equality protocols”, she added. Speaking in the same meeting, National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) general manager responsible for victim support gender and diversity Agnes Nhengo said that induced Covid19 lockdown created fertile grounds for gender based violence especially in 2020. “We acknowledge that Covid19 lockdown brought an increase in gender based violence cases. People are free to submit the complains at our offices or to contact us through our digital platforms”, she said.