Many aspiring politicians have been known to drop out of their races once it was revealed that they abused women by indulging in extra-marital affairs. In Africa, these moral values seem to play a minor role. But perceptions are changing. More and more politicians are paying particular attention to their behaviour in order to get the women vote. In the recent elections in France, the winner in the presidential vote is reported to have garnered a better percentage of the women vote.

What do women want to fulfill their aspirations? Many women in Zimbabwe say that they want better accommodation, especially those living in the cities and towns.

Some say that they want opportunities to be involved in business of their own.

Others are worried about inheritance of properties when their spouses die or when parents die.

Another problem women face is that of being abused in marriages, where their spouses get involved in contracting customary marriages. Some women cite light sentences given to those men that sexually abuse women and the girl child. Even if there are women in Parliament, there have been no private Bills pushed through Parliament to make it possible to enact laws to increase the sentences of those men that sexually abuse women and girls.

Why do politicians not address the issues that mostly affect women? It is not just enough to address the gender balance in Parliament but the mindset also has to change.

Women deserve more respect as the custodians of the children in society. What are then the voting patterns of women? Women know that the economic issues affect them a lot. Inflation, unemployment and the general attitudes of men against women, especially in the African cultural setting where their rights are trampled upon, are cited as impacting against women.

What then should politicians do to court the women vote? Promises are not good enough. Practical actions carry more weight. Women do not just want sympathy about their problems. They want practical solutions.

In many surveys, women place more emphasis on their health needs and those of their families. They play an important part in nursing the sick. Many nursing and old-age homes are run by women.

Political parties often just talk about these issues without convincing women that they have the resources and priorities to be seen to solve these problems. Whenever rallies are held, there are more women than men.

They listen to the politicians attentively. It was only one African president who revolutionised agriculture practices by focusing on women. His government gave every woman household seed and two bags of fertiliser.

The maize harvest increased five-fold that year. His party was rewarded by winning over 60 percent of the women vote and with it swept to power.

In Zimbabwe, although women enjoy a greater freedom than in many African or Middle East countries, their social and economic aspirations are not receiving as much attention as they should. In any society, poverty is more pronounced among women. The HIV and Aids epidemic has created great hardship for women and children. Any party that needs to court the women vote must pay serious attention to these life-threatening issues.

A visit to the passport offices shows how desperate women are in trying to improve their lot by obtaining a passport to travel outside the country, especially in the region, to look for employment or just to engage in cross-border trade.

The majority of vendors on the streets of city and town centres are women trying to earn a living. It has been reported that women are better positioned to pay back small loans to capitalise their informal trade. They are good at buying and selling goods and the money ends in being solely used for the upkeep of their families.

Stories abound of female domestic workers that have supported their families and their extended families from their meagre wages. In many countries, remittances from women working abroad have supported their families back home. Political parties should articulate policies that make it possible to focus on women issues that have a bearing on improving the lives of women and children.

It has been estimated that the voting trends of women and those below the age of 30 are very crucial in winning elections. Contrary to many postulations that women are more gullible than men, women actually can make and break any political party. Women are known to have a sixth sense to judge the situation better than men.

Security plays an important role in women's anxieties of the unknown. Families are held together by women.

Any political party that guarantees security of women and their families, especially children, will garner a greater percentage of the women vote. The future is more important in politics than the past.

Women like to look to the future. Young voters want to look to the future for inspiration. What does the future hold? That is the main question asked everywhere. An answer to this question holds the key to winning elections.

Another aspect that has to be considered is the role women play in the education of their children, especially as single mothers.

They have to plan carefully to take their children to a day school or to a boarding school, sometimes without the support of the fathers of these children. It is a great responsibility women have to bear.

If political parties want the support of the women vote, then they must address the question of ever-escalating school fees and levies. It is of no use to keep on threatening school authorities with legal action for defying Government on raising these charges above the inflation rate.

The same goes for uncontrolled rental, electricity and service charges.