Harare, Nov. 22, (Xinhuanet) -- Zimbabwean women welcomed the prospect of having a female vice president as they believe this will raise women's profile and address many issues bugging them for years, the official New Ziana reported Monday.

    Women's jubilation comes in the wake of the country's ruling Zanu PF's endorsement on Sunday of Water Minister Joyce Mujuru as the party's second vice president candidate, partnering Joseph Msika as the first vice president candidate.

    The prospect of having a female vice president has raised hopes among women's groups in the country that the government is taking issues of gender equality seriously.

    Women's organizations expected the woman vice president to address issues of HIV/Aids in relation to the burden of care on women and the girl child.

    The decision coincided with a fierce criticism directed at the southern African countries about women's profile in politics on Monday.

    "While the entry of women into parliament and in government has in general been accepted at the levels of principle in the SADC region, this principle has not always been translated into practice," the vice chair person of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Regional Women's Parliamentary Caucus, Teopolina Mushelenga said in an address to the SADC Regional Women's Conference on Monday.

    "As the year 2005 approaches when the SADC countries are expected to have at least 30 percent representation of women at all levels in positions of power and decision making, only two (in14) have since realized that goal," she lamented. Enditem