Justice for Women of Zimbabwe 08/06/2010
Gender equality in Zimbabwe needs to be regarded as a national struggle, not simply a woman issue, to be addressed parallel to that of achieving democracy, economic development and social justice in the country. Too often women in Zimbabwe experience discrimination and gender-based violence. According to the Human Development Report (2007/2008), Zimbabwe is among the countries with the lowest global gender related development index, ranking 130 of 170. This reflects the low status of women with respect to access, control and ownership of economic resources and positions in the decision-making process. The fight for gender equality and empowerment remains difficult for Zimbabwean women as they are constricted by implementation of laws, confront abuse of customary law and a largely patriarchal nation, where women remain stereotyped as housewives and caregivers. There is a real need to craft an engendered constitution, harness political will to implement rights and educate women in communities, to ensure for protection and respect of women. In light of the constitutional reform process in Zimbabwe and the nation’s transition to democracy, leading officials have an opportunity to secure safeguards for women in the new constitution. These include a proportional representation electoral system and women’s quotas in party nominations, which will provide an opportunity for women to play a role in politics, as well as provisions to close the gap of women’s access to social and economic rights. The provision of rights in the constitution fosters a sense of entitlement of rights to women, which will be instrumental in empowering women in communities. Zimbabwe has made commitments to protect the rights of women and address gender inequalities, including being signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Beijing Platform of Action, the African Union Protocol on Women’s Rights, and the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development. These commitments must be fully implemented and embraced as part of the constitutional review process. One of the most powerful instruments in pressuring Zimbabwe’s government officials for safeguards of women’s rights in the new constitution is a united women’s voice, one which echoes the demands of women nationwide. The Women’s National Congress in South Africa sets an example of the power which a united women’s voice can have to ensure that women are represented and kept part of the constitutional negotiations. This Coalition covered “most political parties, rural women’s organizations, and religious and professional organizations.” Today, women of Zimbabwe have a similar task in front of them, to craft a national platform of action, to be a part of the constitutional negotiations and enable their influence over the electoral system, to keep the Global Political Agreement inclusive. Women need to intervene on the status of customary law and access to socio-economic rights in the constitution and voice any concerns now by participating in the process and following up by voting in the referendum in February 2011. Zimbabwean women are doing just that, mobilizing to confront the government in achieving justice for women in economic, social and political rights. They have been demanding respect for and protection of human rights and the rights of members of their communities. Since the country gained independence in 1980, women in Zimbabwe have been active in lobbying the government to adopt laws and policies that promote and protect their rights. Of particular significance has been the women's movement's success. Women's organizations such as the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA), the Women's Coalition, Women Action Group (WAG), Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Development Trust (WLSA), among others, have lobbied for the enactment of laws against domestic violence. In November 2006 the lower house of parliament passed the Domestic Violence Act. Since its enactment, there has been an increase in the number of domestic violence cases brought by women seeking justice. Women have also lobbied against discriminatory inheritance laws, for reform of marriage laws and on other issues affecting women. Today, women’s rights groups find that even with the support of high-level politicians, it is extremely difficult to get commitment to become a reality. They are also finding that the discourse on women’s rights risks being swallowed by party politics, where women’s representation remains low at 25%. For this reason there is even more need for women to unite and participate in the transition. Presently, women’s groups have played a pivotal role in ensuring that women are participating and represented in the constitutional process. They have united under an umbrella organization called, the Women’s Coalition, which has brought together 54 organizations and has 9 chapters across the country. This body has played a pivotal role in strategizing on how women can interface with the constitutional reform and participate in the process. For instance, the Women’s Coalition presented names to the committee responsible for the constitutional outreach process, COPAC, increasing the participation of women in the outreach teams to 25%. They have also been monitoring the process and ensuring that outreach teams create space for women to speak. Other groups such as WLSA have been using media to raise awareness and joined with the Women’s Coalition to reach out to women in rural communities, reaching over 2000 women. Today’s discourse on women’s rights in Zimbabwe must set gender equality in parity with economic, political and social justice being sought through the democratic transition. Through empowering women and supporting civil society groups actively working to ensure women’s rights is part of the national agenda, there is real hope that this transition can bring justice to women of Zimbabwe. Marieka Walsh Comments09/01/2010 10:08pm
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