9 May 2019
Community Water Alliance is greatly disappointed by ineffectiveness of City of Harare’s cocktail chemicals to address water quality issues within Harare Metropolitan Province.
Despite the demand of US$3 million on a monthly basis, the ten chemicals required by City of Harare do not guarantee quality water out of the tap.
Community Water Alliance is reliably informed that the chemicals are failing to achieve the desired outcome of quality water for citizens, even if raw water from Lake Chivero is mixed with raw water from Darwindale dam.
It is alleged that algae in the water supplied by City of Harare causes colon cancer. In line with such health threats, Community Water Alliance will steer citizens in Harare Metropolitan Province to demand improved water quality, reduced water purification costs and replacement of the ten concoction chemicals with viable cost effective options that guarantee improved water quality.
Mobilisation of citizens will be run under the banner of #WaterQualityFootPrint, a campaign that will galvanize citizens to demand two urgent things from City of Harare, Ministry of Local Government and the Tender Procurement Board which falls under the Office of President and Cabinet:
Any institution and tier of government that constructs a wall between clean water and citizens will be an enemy of life, health and enjoyment of the right to water.
9 May 2019
“It’s taken me all this time, all this loss, to realize what really matters is now. Not our memories”, said Suzanne Young. With the reminiscence of childhood, most of us were inhumanly treated at school and in the societies we lived in. Is this the life we want for our kids? Always living in fear of who is going to care and at what point will they be beaten for the small mistakes that they make.
In light of the Education Amendment Bill of 2019 enacted by the Parliament and the President of Zimbabwe, more good than harm has been portrayed in the education system with its main focus on children
. The bill has brought up issues of free basic education, an end to corporal punishment, inclusion of children with disabilities as well as provision of user friendly resources, it has also highlighted the inclusion of both adult basic education and child education and admission of pregnant girls into formal schools among other things. However, the bill has failed to h
ighlight on how and what sort of punishment is going to be used to discipline the children and the bill has also failed to highlight the process of payment of fees for under privileged children. Thus raising questions as to who is entitled to assess whether Child A or Child B is fit to receive fees assistance.
According to the newly educational Bill, Section 68A Pupil discipline the responsible authority of every school shall draw up a disciplinary policy for the school in accordance with standards set out in regulations prescribed by the Minister. Moreover, the regulations and any disciplinary policy shallnot permit any treatment whichdoes not respect the human dignity of a pupil educ
ation amendment, amounts to physical or psychological torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Furthermore, disciplinary measures must be moderate, reasonable and proportionate in the light of the conduct, age, sex, health and circumstances of the pupil concerned and the best interests of the child shall be paramount. No pupil may be suspended from school without first being granted a reasonable opportunity, with the support of his or her parents, to make representations with respect to the proposed suspension. In addition to, under no circumstance is a teacher allowed to beat a child. This has proved to be a good policy as children will learn being in their right mind. Thus this will help students to openly address their grievances or problems at home or environment without being afraid of what the teacher might do to the child. The overall view suggests that most child abuse cases are mostly noticed and exposed by children at school. Thus if the child can open up to a teacher more problems can be solved if they are being treated well at school.However the Bill has failed to address what and how the punishment of a child is going to be conducted. This then creates problems as to how teachers and school heads are going to monitor and enforce discipline as conflict is bound to happen.
Furthermore, the provision of basic state funded educationwill allow all children to go to school. Nelson Mandela stated that “education is the key to be better life” In this context attainment of education to all students will make their future bright. Introducing this idea the educational Bill will do more good than harm in that it will eliminate the significant number of Child headed families and Child marriages. Moreover, it will also mean the significant number of children will be independent as they progress with Schooling. It is also worthwhile to say that the introduction of state funded education will lessen the high poverty rates. This can be done in two ways: Firstly it allows bread winners to invest their salaries in other things such as infrastructure and entrepreneurial development and secondly it allows children to think through and solve economic problems in the long run and thus it lead to economic prosperity.
It is very important that the Society be inclusive. This allows development to take place as different ideas from different groups are in cooperated. The inclusion of children with disability will go a long way as disability does not mean in ability. They are a number of famous people around the world who being disabled achieved and excelled much than able bodied people. For example people like Stevland Hardaway Morris an American Musician, record producer, song writer and multi-instrumentalist who was visually impaired, but he has 25 Grammy awards and managed to sell 100 million records all over the world and Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. More importantly, In Zimbabwe, the late Director of the National Association for the Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH) and ZESN board member TsaraiMugoni was blind but had high esteemed positions. In light of these examples it is evident that people with disabilities have the same capacity to achieve what their counter-parts are achieving.
Having said this, l would recommend that the Minister and the responsible parties quickly avail to the school the way in which disciplinary action and hearings will be conducted.
By: Marvelous Kudakwashe Magune
ZNCWC Programs Assistant
9 May 2019
Women’s movements have been advocating for the extension and proper functioning of the Quota System in Zimbabwe to go beyond the year 2023. After realising the gap that was in the politics and governance system of Zimbabwe, Constitution Parliamentary Commitee (COPAC) which was mandated to draft the constitution of Zimbabwe took note of the low representation of women in politics. This led to the adoption of the Quota System, during the constitution making process. This adoption was in line with relevant international instruments relating to full political rights of women, among them the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention on the Political Rights of Women.
To fulfil these international obligations and commitments as well as to empower women, there was the inclusion of a clause in the Constitution which provides for the equal representation of women in Parliament through the appointment of 60 additional non-constituency female legislators. For the life of the first two Parliaments after the effective date, an additional 60 women members, 6 from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected through a system of proportional representation based on the votes cast for candidates representing parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces is part of the clause in the constitution of Zimbabwe which clearly covers the way in which the quota or proportional representation system works.
However, it is worth noting that from a female representation of 15 percent in the 2008 Parliament, the figures jumped to 32 percent in 2013 after 83 women made their way into Parliament from both the Lower and Upper House when the Government implemented the proportional women representation quota as stipulated in the Constitution.
However, the provision which was only valid for the first two terms of Parliament, comes to an end in 2023, a development that has been met with apprehension by majority of women. The Zimbabwean society can be described as highly unequal in terms of gender. This has a great impact on income distribution, political participation, power relations, access to control and ownership of economic and productive resources. The Quota System is a means to change the unequal power relations between men and women and to eliminate all negative practices that impede equality and equity of sexes. There is need to push for enactment of laws that protect women and girls like the Child Marriage Bill. It is notable that fewer women were voted into power, and in 2023 the Proportional Representation (PR) quota will be removed (Section 124 of the Constitution). Zimbabwe is known to be a signatory to many conventions that do not live to be realised for instance the SADC Protocol 2015.
It is known to be progressive but dictatorial. The golden question, therefore, is should we amend the law or change mind sets? We should hold accountable the political parties and level them against their own constitution.
In Senegal, women representation in the Parliament went from 11% to 44.6% and this was made possible through gender quotas. Recommendations that came up from the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe Mutare Chapter Dialogue on the Quota system touched more on the extension and rebranding of the quota system in Zimbabwe. Some of the participants mentioned that there is need for social accountability from the women who are already beneficiaries of the Proportional Representation (PR) and equal representation (gender parity) should be practised by all political parties so that we use a bottom-top approach in implementing this system. Failure to exercise this should result in the concerned political party being ineligible to participate in elections. The quota system should not be limited o a specific time frame as we are still far from reaching gender parity in Zimbabwe.
12 Apr 2019
More than 30 Harare-based journalists on 8 April 2019 petitioned the Zimbabwe Republic Police following the firing of teargas canisters by the police into the offices of online publication 263Chat in Harare on 4 April 2019.
The journalists marched to Harare Central Police Station where they were initially barred from entering the premises by heavily armed police officers. The officers confiscated and tore the placards they were holding.
However, after an initial standoff, they were then allowed to enter the police station where they presented their petition to Chief Superintendent Simba Chagu. Superintendent Chagu then addressed the journalists and told them they had contravened sections of the Public Order and Security Act by failing to notify the police about their intention to deliver the petition before dismissing them.
Earlier, the journalists had marched from the Media Centre to Town House where they were addressed by Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba upon presentation of the same petition. The mayor said the Council had instituted an investigation into the incident.
“A police report (following the incident) was lodged and visual evidence of the attackers is available to assist the police in their investigations of this matter. To our knowledge, no arrests had been effected at the time of the submission of this petition to your esteemed offices,” part of the petition reads.
“Media practitioners have a right to cover current affairs such as police operations against vendors in a public space. The only limitation being that such media coverage should not interfere with the ongoing police operation.”
The journalists condemned the firing of teargas canisters into the occupied offices of 263Chat as unwarranted and unjustified.
“We therefore urge you to conduct thorough investigations into this shocking incident as a matter of urgency and thus assure the safety and security of journalists undertaking their lawful professional duties as provided for by the Constitution,” reads the petition.
Background
The incident happened on the afternoon of Thursday, 4 April 2019 during a joint operation against vendors by police and Harare municipal police officers in the central business district. End
MISA Zimbabwe Communiqué
29 Mar 2019
The tropical Cyclone Idai which left a trail of regrettable destruction in Manicaland exposed the nefarious attitude of diamond companies operating the Eastern Region.
For so many times we heard that they are undertaking projects to assist communities. They must have mastered the art of misleading a nation. In as much as they may have done some development work, one has to be more analytical as to the quantum of their contribution towards cooperate social responsibility versus what they are getting from mining diamonds.
Although it was expected that the cyclone was going to hit Manicaland, it is the state of preparedness that leaves a lot to be desired. The approach by the state and diamond companies was rather too lackadaisical. For instance, some diamond mine workers in Chimanimani had to resort to staying on top of mountains without food or warm clothing due to flooding. ZIDAWU once indicated in their previous report that workers in Chimanimani were living in squalid conditions and it seems it fell on deaf ears. Accommodation crisis looms as Ngangu settlement was virtually swept away by the floods.
It remains a mystery why the Odzi Bridge in Chiadzwa has not been given a face-lift especially after carrying all the machinery and equipment of more than six companies that operated in Chiadzwa. This is the very bridge that claimed the life of Headman J. Chiadzwa some years ago following a head-on collision with an Anjin mine staff bus. Cyclone Idai nearly swept the Odzi Bridge thereby isolating Chiadzwa community from the rest of Manicaland for almost two days.This bridge was built before Zimbabwe’s independence and it was meant for a sizeable number of the then remote Bocha people.
Companies like Anjin, Mbada Diamonds, Jinan Mine, Kusena Diamonds, DMC and Marange Resources used this low lying narrow bridge to carry machinery and equipment worth millions of dollars. These are the companies that failed to remit any meaningful taxes to the treasury when they were operating. Former Finance Minister Hon Tendai Biti and subsequent ministers of finance complained about these companies not paying any royalties to state coffers.
It came not a surprise when Sakubva Marketing Stall in Mutare was swept by Cyclone Idai during the weekend. This is the project which many civic society organizations high;ighted on the subjectof tender procedures conducted by City of Mutare and Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC). It maybe not be a shoddy job but surely they could have done better.
Recently ZCDC bragged about their ‘benevolence’ to Marange community. This included the 5 million Bond Dollars donated to Zimunya Marange Community Share Ownership Trust, 25 boreholes and repairing some schools and clinics. Although what they have done is commendable, it is the issue of prioritisation of projects that is a cause of concern. In most cases the intended beneficiaries complain of lack of consulted prior to the commencement of the projects.
As a way forward, companies should work closely with communities and stakeholders. This will lessen the rate of rejection of projects that are imposed on communities. No one should be left out in terms of socio-economic development as we are all partakers to national development. Diamond companies should not elbow out other stakeholders as they can assist in identifying priority areas to be attended.
The article was written by C. Sunguro.
29 Mar 2019
Early March 2019, a Tropical Cyclone Idai ravaged through parts of the Manicaland Province to become one of the deadliest storms ever recorded to hit the country. The storm caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, and large numbers of casualties across some districts in the province.It left whole villages, plantations and business centres either submerged or completely obliterated from the face of the earth. The Zimbabwean and international community responded enthusiastically with donations and assistance in rescue efforts. This saw thousands of private citizens descending on the affected areas for various reasons. While everybody is focused on saving lives, little has been said about the attendant risks of Gender Based Violence (GBV) associated with displacement.
The risks of GBV during displacements caused by conflicts are well-understood and documented. However, GBV during displacement caused by natural disasters is little understood. The little literature and evidence available suggests that people displaced by a natural disasters are especially vulnerable to sexual assault by strangers, at highest risk are particularly those relocated to temporary shelters. Displacement seems to create risks in large measure because people are uprooted from their traditional social security networks. The increased vulnerability can be attributed to a breakdown in the protection nets usually available at village level where neighbours watch out for each other’s safety. Commonly, in Zimbabwe your neighbour your closest relative even though there may be no blood ties.
After cyclone disaster, people are either forced to move into communities where they know no one or move into camps while those whose villages were not completely destroyed see their communities suddenly invaded by desperate strangers seeking shelter. All this leads to a breakdown in social cohesion and long established social security nets creating conducive conditions for the manifestation of GBV.
Apart from destroying infrastructure, cyclone Idai left thousands of people food insecure. This food insecurity presents a high risk and is fertile ground for the rise in incidents of transactional sex. Various humanitarian missions’ research reports over the years have revealed that transactional sex occurs primarily because food is insufficient and women needed to provide for their families. The cyclone disaster comes just as the world is trying to come to terms with the Haiti GBV scandals perpetrated by aid workers on vulnerable people. Then, one shudders to imagine the harm that may likely have been perpetrated by private citizens, untrained in the ethics and conduct of humanitarian work that descended on Manicaland to provide the much needed assistance following Cyclone Idai. In this regard apart from increased protection programming there exists a need to provide the displaced communities with adequate reproductive health education and services. Disappointingly, over the past weeks of sourcing for donations, all manner of materials have been procured but not enough effort have been put towards procurement and distribution of condoms and contraceptives.
As earlier mentioned, the influx of individual private citizens in Manicaland to assist with rescue efforts, deliver and distribute aid and also for disaster tourism compounds the complexities of the Zimbabwean situation. While their humanity is commendable it has to be noted that these people are accountable to no one, some are not trained to provide standardised assistance in disaster zones and are not bound by any ethical codes. Over the years research findings have noted that disaster zones are a magnet to paedophiles, were they commit criminal acts under the guise of the ongoing confusion and breakdown of law and order. The continued presence of these private players in the disaster zone on its own poses risks and increases the vulnerability of the affected populations.
Beyond the disaster response period research suggests that how poverty is addressed (or not addressed) in the post-disaster context can have an impact on GBV. Where they lack economic alternatives, women and girls in a desperate situation have little choice but to remain trapped in the cycle of GBV. Due to poverty and desperation, they may be forced to adopt negative coping strategies, such as child or early marriage or transactional sex. They become more vulnerable to traffickers and other criminals. In general, single women living in temporary shelters are very vulnerable to violence.
Despite the availability of a national Disaster Risk Reduction Policy in the country, it does not have concrete or practical provisions for preventing and addressing GBV. This reflects and contributes to the generally low awareness of GBV in disasters. NGOs on the other hand have as part of their structures, operational guidelines and accountability mechanisms to identify risk factors, address and mitigate GBV in the conduct of their work and are able to hold their staff to account for any misconduct. Furthermore, there is need for an increased coordination of efforts through the Civil Protection Unit, individuals and development partners declaring centrally their aid, what area they will work in and populations they will assist. This will mitigate against politicisation of aid, aid fraud, human trafficking and GBV.
Beyond the cyclone Idai disaster, the country needs to rethink its disaster preparedness and response model and also its operationalisation with the view of decentralising the resource banks for preparedness and response. A lot of lives would have been saved had authorities acted on time and responsibly.
The auther, Nhlanhla Mlilo can be contacted at nmlilo@hotmail.com or on twitter @mlilon
29 Mar 2019
Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) are one of the greatest challenges to human development in Africa, hampering organic growth, and the ability of governments to provide infrastructure, deliver public services and reduce poverty.
There is no settled definition of IFFs and their measurement is complex. IFFs are driven by crime, bribery, terrorism, corruption, embezzlement, drug trafficking, money laundering, capital flight in disobedience of currency controls, tax evasion and tax avoidance (Forstater, 2018)[1]. Global Financial Integrity (2015) defined the IFFs as those funds, crossing borders but illegally earned, transferred and or utilized. Thus, IFFs comprise transnational financial transactions which contravene domestic and international law in both letter and spirit or are normatively and morally unacceptable. Broadly, some define IFFs as money legally owned but illegally transferred, money illegally owned but legally transferred, or money both illegally owned and illegally transferred.
IFFs from Africa increased from an estimated US$50 billion in 2015 to above US$70 billion by 2017 (Bokosi, 2019)[2]. Global Financial Integrity data and other sources show that IFFs peaked in 2009 at nearly US$85 billion. Between 2009 and 2013, an estimated US$173 billion left SADC yet nearly an equal amount of US$175 billion was attracted through foreign direct investment (FDI) and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Zambia is among the most affected countries, with IFFs increasing from about US$2 billion in 2009 to US$4.2 billion in 2012. Malawi is estimated to have lost an estimated annual average of US$650 million. For Zimbabwe, the RBZ estimated a loss of US$3 billion between 2015 and 2017 while a research by AFRODAD estimates that US$2.7 billion was lost from the mining sector between 2009 and 2013. The RBZ further posited that an estimatedUS$684 million was remitted outside Zimbabwe or externalised under dubious and unwarranted circumstances in 2015 while Global Financial Integrity data shows that Zimbabwe lost an estimated US$670 million through trade misinvoicing in 2015.
Revenue linkages from the continent confirm its richness, Africa has never been poor and is not poor, resources are yet to be exhausted. If effort to attract FDIs and ODA is equated to efforts to curb IFFs, development will be phenomenal in Africa. The continent has great resource potential to drive organic economic transformation through infrastructure investment and significantly improve public expenditure on health, education and social security for the attainment of social and economic rights.
Some empirical findings on IFFs include the following:
Among the factors jeopardizing capacity to curb IFFs include liberalisation and deregulations as governments seek to attract and compete for investors. It is within the policies which seek to balance between the interests of investors (maximisation of returns and profits) and those of the nation (society) that illicit financial flows occur. As business became global, governments policy attempt to balance between not being tax havens (offering minimal tax liabilities to foreign individuals or businesses) and a risk country. The spaces in-between, particularly created by corruption, weak institutions, lack of expertise, information asymmetry, technological backwardness, lack of policy implementation, are exploited by business, politicians, criminals and individuals resulting in IFFs.
The digital economy has also become a significant driver of IFFs as it comprisesinternet-based companies, telecommunications, electronic commerce, digital payments, cyber security, sharing economy and digital skilling that makes taxation complex. Physical companies are fast transforming to global online based companies,yet laws are still stuck on taxing physical companies. Laws provide for the taxation of companies based on income sources and location yet online companies are difficult to locate due to their multiple presence within the global economy. Block chains, crime (offered as a service business model), block transactions, electronic sales suppression zappers andvalue networks makes the digital economy a driver of IFFs. With most SADC countries struggling with taxing the informal economy, the digital economy becomes more complex.
Addressing challenges posed by the digital economy calls for dynamic legal and regulatory framework for the digital economy, responsive digital infrastructure, creation of departments within revenue authorities to detect movement of the digital wealth, and train and capacitate inspectors and auditors in revenue departments.More importantly, there is need to invest in skills and capacitate personnel to better negotiate contracts and agreements.
Resources are leaving African countries at a time the continent is privatizing the provision of public services through private-public partnerships, excluding the poor and the marginalised from accessing such services. More so, Africa is burdened with a debt crisis as 8 African countries are in debt distress, 15 countries are in high risk of debt distress, 23 are in moderate risk of debt distress and only 8 are in the low risk of debt distress category[3]. The urgent need to combat IFFs should be informed by the need for resources to reduce poverty, resolve the debt crisis, declining developmental resources from the north and growing need to fund Pan-African development projects enshrined in the agenda 2063 and Vision 2030. Thus, governments must prioritise domestic resource mobilization, mobilise remittances from diaspora, curb IFFs and renegotiate mineral contracts to expand Africa’s fiscal space.
In order for governments to curb IFFs, there is need for greater political will, push for the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative,enforcing the Addis Tax Initiative, improve transparency in contract negotiation, strengthen the oversight role of Parliament in contracts negotiation, increase public access to information and increase global cooperation against financial flows. Strengthening the role of Parliament is pivotal, countries must not sign agreements without the approval of Parliament. More importantly, deals and contracts with investors must be open andtransparent (investors need to go through competitive bidding, less reliance to tax incentives that fuel race to the bottom), improve on fiscal transparency, create regional mineral value chains based on countries capabilities and establish policy and regulatory support for the artisanal small-scale miners.
On 21 and 22 March 2019, civil society organisations, churches, government ministries, revenue authorities, regional parliamentary forums like Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC), academics and media houses convened in Gaborone, Botswana, for a regional dialogue on IFFs. The event was hosted by the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD). IFFs represent critical revenue linkages from the African continent, undermining public service delivery, and the attainment of social and economic rights. Hence the AFRODAD regional conference shared ideas, solutions, successes and challenges on curbing the immorality.
Admire Mutizwa is a development economist working with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches as a Programme Officer, Economic Justice and Youth Empowerment. Views expressed in this article are personal and they do not, in any way represent the official position of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches or the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development (AFRODAD).
[1]Maya Forstater (2018). Illicit Financial Flows, Trade Misinvoicing and Multinational Tax Avoidance: The Same or Different?
[2]FanwellKokosi. Presentation on the Developmental Impacts of Illicit Financial Flows in SADC. 2019 Regional Dialogue on Curbing Illicit Financial Flows from AfricaGaborone, Botswana
[3]Tirivangani Mutazu (2019). Analysis of the link between Debt and IFFs. Presentation during the AFRODAD Regional Dialogue on Curbing Illicit Financial Flows, 20 – 21 March 2019; Cresta Lodge, Gaborone Botswana
22 Mar 2019
Cyclone Idai hit five districts in Masvingo Province and these are Gutu, Bikita, Zaka, Chiredzi and Masvingo.
The province recorded five deaths (2 children and 3 adults). There are 5214 households that were affected in various ways in the whole province. In Bikita 3134 were affected, 948 in Gutu, 753 in Zaka, 35 in Chiredzi and 345 Masvingo. A total of 17 from Zaka and Bikita sustained injuries.
13 schools were affected in Gutu district, 71 blair toilets washed away and two classroom blocks collapsed. Guzuve Primary School in Gutu was completely destroyed by the cyclone and the roof of Mutimurefu prison cells and kitchen was blown away.
To assist the affected people of Masvingo, well wishers can donate any of the items listed below:
Non food items including soaps for bathing and washing
Minister of State, Ezra Chadzamira, came up with an idea of engaging the private sector and NGOs to help the victims affected by Cyclone Idai. The resources donated will be channelled to the Civil Protection Unit that will distribute to the victims.
The information was compiled the Provincial Cyclone Idai Coordinating Committee on Thursday 21 March 2019.
22 Mar 2019
NANGO applauds the decision by the high court to nullify suspension of Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (Cotrad).
The two organisations were suspended by Masvingo District Administrator, Roy Hove, on March 11, 2019 pending investigations into registration.
High Court judge Justice, Loice Matanda-Moyohe, stated that the District Administrator’s decision to suspend Cotrad’s operations is set aside and declared to be null and void and accordingly of no force and effect. The first applicant is not a voluntary organisation as contemplated in terms of the Private Voluntary Organisation Act. The DA is not empowered by any law to suspend or stop the operations of NGOs and therefore the DA was ordered to pay the cost of this application on a legal practitioner and client scale.
As NANGO we are confident in the work of our members. Where NANGO members are suspected to be operating outside their mandate, we encourage government to engage, express their grievance or request clarity through proper channels.
It should be noted that wrongful closure of NGOs disadvantages thousands of beneficiaries spread across the country. The work of NGOs should be appreciated for complimenting the efforts of government.
Cotrad, a member of NANGO, is a trust registered with the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The youth oriented organisation was formed by a group of former student activists striving to promote informed and positive participation of youths and reintegrate youth victims of political violence into the mainstream society. It values respect for human rights and the desire to have Zimbabwe youth participating in the build up to sustainable justice, freedom, peace, development, democracy, rule of law and security of all persons.
NANGO is the officially recognised coordinating body of NGOs operating in Zimbabwe. It is the largest umbrella body for non-governmental organisations and was established in 1962. It is a non-partisan, non-profit making organisation and non-denominational coordinating body of NGOs in Zimbabwe. It is mandated by its membership to coordinate the activities of NGOs, represent the NGO sector and strengthen the voice of NGOs in Zimbabwe.
22 Mar 2019
The International Women’s Day 2019 campaign theme of #BalanceforBetter is a call-to-action for driving gender balance across the world. Better the balance, better the world. This day seeks to celebrate women’s achievements while calling for a more gender-balanced world. It aims to highlight the importance of creating conditions for the elimination of discrimination against women and for their full and equal participation in socio economic development. Hence the need for a better world that takes into cognizance the plight of women and how their sacrifices can be both treasured and addressed.
This day first emerged from the activities of labor movements in the Global north. The first gathering for its commemorations was conducted in 1911. Since then, the day has been celebrated annually on the 8th of March, and adopted as a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation.
Today, the International Women’s Day is commemorated in many countries; it is a day that celebrates womanhood. While today’s woman is juggling between various roles, she is still struggling to find her footing. The average woman is still juggling housework, motherhood, community roles and that of corporate work. The average woman still gets off a bus where she is manhandled rather than raise voice for her rights. The average woman still gets left out of social bonding over late night drinking sessions and probably gets left out of crucial decisions as well.
There are many challenges that women are facing, the International Day of Women is celebrated simply because the original aim to achieve full gender equality for women in the world has not been fully realized. Women are still facing challenges compared to their male counterparts, for example in business and political spaces, a gender pay gap continues to persist despite efforts made to address gender disparity. Figures show that globally, women’s education, health and violence towards women is still worse than that of men. Even in Zimbabwe there is still high prevalence of violence against women and girls. The issue of child marriages in most parts of Zimbabwe especially the rural and peri – urban areas is still being perpetuated. Zimbabwe as a nation continues to record high rates of violence against women, in particular, rape cases. According to Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency, recent statistics for the first quarter of 2018 released in May last year recorded that 7 394 rape cases were reported in 2017. The home is not the only spot for abuse, there is the work place and several public places. Children are also exposed to abuse with most of it coming from close relatives. All duty bearers need to work hand in glove to address the plight of women and girls for an enabling environment to reach their potential.
In particular rural women and girls in Zimbabwe are often exposed to all forms of abuse due to poverty, patriarchy and marginalization. Statistics has it that women are engaged in most unpaid work and in rural areas they rely on subsistence farming. With the current poor rains one wonders how they will cope. Young women have not been spared by these hard times. Some end up resorting to transacting sex for a living. They are forced by hard situations into early marriages; this has many consequences as they drop out of school, and have complications in pregnancy, contract sexually transmitted diseases. Some end up with unwanted pregnancies, forcing them into unsafe abortion and complications from high risk pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. On International women’s Day, women across the world come together to force the world to recognize these inequalities while also celebrating the achievements of women who have overcome some of these barriers. According to a 2017 report by the World Economic Forum, it could still take another 100 years before the global equality gap between men and women disappear entirely, the gender gap won’t close until 2186. Hence the need to continue working tirelessly to prevent such a delay towards a balanced world.
International Women’s Day is a worldwide event with a human rights theme, highlighting the social, economic, cultural and political achievements and contributions made by women. The day also sees demonstrations and protests aiming to further gender equality. It is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights. In some areas the day has become an occasion to express appreciation for women in general. International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. This day aims to highlight the importance of creating conditions for the elimination of discrimination against women and for their full and equal participation in social development.
The idea of this theme # BalanceForBetter is to consider how to accelerate the 2030 Agenda, building momentum for the effective achievement of gender equality and empower all women and girls. Celebrating womanhood, the power endowed in women and mobilization of human capital, should interact to find solutions to issues affecting them and impeding their
progress in today’s environment. A woman is a nurturer, educator, in most cases a primary caregiver taking care of her loved ones even when she herself is in pain or ill. In society and the workplace in general women have so much more to overcome, be it various forms of violations, discrimination or stereotypes, hence they need to gain their rightful place, garnish respect and support from not only men but other women in their midst.
Women make up more than half the population in the country but there are largely underrepresented in decision making positions. The general paucity of women in decision making risks replicating gender inequality and dispersing discriminatory attitudes within communities. Yet this is happening in the era of empowerment. It is still a struggle to see women in positions associated with power, hence the need to dismantle structural gender inequalities in order to adequately voice the concerns of society for both men and women. We cannot wait for change to drop like manna from heaven. Sarah Ruddick, a feminist, views women as better leaders, because of motherhood women are more sensitive to issues that affect people hence they lead from a more humane centered perspective. It is through our own transformational efforts as women that we can land ourselves in better positions. We need brilliant, creative, honest and caring people to take part in leading our world and these incredible qualities can be found in women. This is a call for Zimbabwean women to act, even towards the 2023 elections, to also partake in taking the positions of power and we quote Dr. Sithembiso Nyoni’s sentiments on the World day of Prayer where she urged Christian Women to join politics, as we serve our country by being politicians.
The Zimbabwean government has paid allegiance to international and regional instruments and adopted a progressive constitution that takes into cognizance the plight of women. However this has been a contentious matter on the ground as there is a general consensus that efforts being made are not fully implemented as we still witness large gender gaps. Women still possess the room to push for more policy changes in Zimbabwe
We commend the women who have broken down barriers, who have entered in the domains previously regarded as preserves of men. Women can climb up the career ladder provided the environment is conducive and they are willing to do so. We appreciate women who have made it life and climbed up the corporate ladder despite the barriers encountered. Those who have made significant strides such as the former Vice President Joyce Mujuru, the female ministers, the first female mayor, Angeline Kasipo, women CEO’s and chairpersons, female clergy such as Eunor Guti to mention but a few. As the YWCA motto reiterates ‘By love we serve one another, and lift each other as we climb’. It is an appeal to women leaders to tirelessly uplift and support fellow women. Hence they should strive to be transformative leaders.
According to Sarah Ruddick, a mother’s gender attitude is more influential than the father’s in shaping children’s gender views. Hence our gender awareness as women will go a long way in transforming the gender perspectives of future generations.
The IWD is a reminder that women need to be appreciated, loved and their contributions in society recognized. It is a time to give thumbs up to all the women who have fought the good fight and managed to break the ceiling of barriers. This is a call to action to accelerate gender parity, for unity, reflection and action for a better, gender balanced world, #BalanceforBetter
Young Women Christian Association of Zimbabwe (YWCA) is a non-profit making, charitable organization which was established in 1894 in some global north countries and in Zimbabwe it was established in 1957 by women who united to support fellowship among women of different Christian backgrounds. The organization was formed out of the recognition that women and girls are not socially and economically empowered, so it realized the need to empower them in body, spirit and mind. In a bid to ensure that today’s woman is walking the path in equally strong strides alongside a man.
In doing this the organization recognizes the following values which are human dignity, justice and freedom. The organization complies with Christian principles of peaceful nations through peaceful co-existences in the homes. YWCA seeks to contribute towards eradication of poverty in women and to dislodge social injustices with the consciousness that as a nation we must form a gender sensitive, prosperous and a stable society to lessen the plight of women. In the light of such discoveries YWCA established economic empowerment centers in Harare, Bindura, Gweru and Bulawayo where young women are able to pursue their studies in vocational trainings. YWCA has embarked on projects to uplift the economic and social status of women through empowerment trainings, SRHR trainings, leadership and development trainings among other efforts. YWCA is an affiliate of the World YWCA based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Muchanyara Mukamuri, Ivy Shelly Begede, and Tavonga Mhungu
