Women, Peace, and Security News: SOuthern Africa
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2008

Zimbabwe: Women of the world help stop the violence!
May 13, 2008 – (Pambazuka News) As a result the terror campaign by the military and the youth militia, the most affected are women and children as 80% of Zimbabwean women live in the rural areas. This statement urges women in Africa and the world to take action against the Mugabe government.

Southern Africa: SADC Ministers Accelerate Progress Toward Gender Equality
May 13, 2008 – (Southern African News Features) Ministers responsible for Gender and Women's Affairs met recently in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, to discuss their draft Protocol on Gender and Development. The objective of the meeting was to prepare for presentation of the protocol to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) in August.

The crisis in Zimbabwe: A gender perspective
May 9, 2008 - AWID interviews Shereen Essof, a Zimbabwean feminist living in Cape Town, and Thoko Matshe, a feminist, women's rights activist and poet - about how gender compounds the already appalling social and political spheres inside Zimbabwe.

South Africa: Enlisting Men for Women's Equality
May 9, 2008 - (Africa Renewal) Mr. Khumalo is co-director of Sonke Gender Justice, a non-governmental organization which tackles two major issues in South Africa: violence against women and very high HIV-transmission rates. Mr. Khumalo strongly believes that gender equality cannot be achieved through focusing on women's empowerment alone. He works with men to help end violence against women.

Zambia: Gender Violence Hampers Aids Fight
May 9, 2008 - (Africa Renewal) According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), there are 33.2 million people worldwide living with HIV. Of those, 15.4 million are women. In Africa, women account for between 59 and 61 per cent of all adults living with HIV. Gender violence is one factor that makes women more vulnerable to infection, and it also hampers treatment.

Namibia: Country Meets Target On Gender Balance
May 8, 2008 – (New Era) Namibia has become the fourth country within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to attain the target of 30 percent women representation in the National Assembly, finally fulfilling the quota set by SADC.

Southern Africa: SADC Ministers Fine-Tune Gender Protocol
May 6 2008 – (New Era) After three days of intense discussions and perfecting the draft document of the SADC protocol on Gender and Development, ministers responsible for gender/women's affairs in the region are confident that the draft document will be ready for adoption at the next Heads of State and Government Summit calendared for August in South Africa.

ZIMBABWE: 59 protestors beaten up, 11 arrested
May 5, 2008 - (IRIN) More than 50 protesting Zimbabweans were beaten up and 11 members of the activist organisation, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), were arrested in the country's second city, Bulawayo, on 5 May, according to a WOZA official.

Gender activists call for decisive action on Zimbabwe
April 24, 2008 – (ZimEye) Southern African gender activists have called on their leaders and the international community to "act decisively" in ending the Zimbabwean crisis which threatens all peace loving citizens, especially women and children.

Angola: OMA Upgrades Staff On Women's Role in Politics
April 22, 2008 - (AllAfrica) About 40 women from various base structures of the ruling MPLA party's women wing known as the Organisation of Angolan Woman (OMA) in the region are being upgraded on the women in politics, with view of equipping them with knowledge for a massive and responsible participation in the forthcoming legislative elections, set for next September.

Namibia: WAD Calls for Women Upliftment
April 17, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The Executive Director of Women's Action for Development (WAD), Veronica de Klerk, has expressed disappointment at the lack of women representation in some top government positions.

South Africa: Democracy Unfinished
April 16, 2008 – (IPS) A new report by the Geneva-based Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) has shown that women are changing the priorities and sometimes the tone of legislatures around the world. But, it also highlights the slow pace at which the number of parliamentary seats held by women is increasing.

Botswana: Women Urged to Seek Political Office
April 10, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Women in Botswana have been encouraged to take part in the political system of the country by standing for political office and voting.

South Africa: Development, Gender Awareness Go Hand in Hand
April 8, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The importance of taking the gender issues into consideration when addressing issues of development have been highlighted by the Minister for Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.

World YWCA stands in solidarity with Zimbabwean women
April 7, 2008 - (World YWCA) Zimbabwe has elected 28 women into its lower house of assembly in their March 29 general elections. The World YWCA stands in solidarity with Zimbabwean women as the nation anxiously await result of the presidential election. The World YWCA congratulates the women for successfully wining their campaign amidst a difficult political climate characterised by intimidation and lack of security. Many female candidates successfully navigated the sensitive political climate despite limited access to campaign resources.

Southern Africa: Women Are Changing The Face Of Migration
April 4, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Gender, Remittances and Development: Preliminary Findings from Selected SADC Countries, published by UN-INSTRAW and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), highlights the growing impact of women’s migration on households, families and communities in selected countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Zimbabwe: Parliament Falls Well Short of SADC Gender Targets
April 3, 2008 – (AllAfrica) When the Zimbabwe parliament was dissolved to make way for elections in March, the women made up 15.8 percent out of the 120-seat House of Assembly.

Zimbabwe: Woza Launches Report On State Sponsored Violence Against Members
March 19, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) launched a report in Harare on Wednesday titled "The effects of fighting Repression with Love". It documents the experiences of their members over the last few years as they were arrested, assaulted, humiliated and tortured at the hands of state agents, particularly the police.

Namibia: Women Must Stand Up, Be Counted
March 18, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The South African Women in Dialogue (SAWID) recently met with women of Namibia to discuss ways in which the local women can organise themselves in their diversity and act together for a better future.

Zimbabwe: A Society 'Not Ready for Female Leadership'?
March 14, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Women make up about half the population in Zimbabwe. But, they're far from accounting for 50 percent of those on the ballot for this month's general elections in the Southern African country sparking concern amongst gender activists.

Angola: Ladies Speak of Their Importance in Elections
March 6, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Women's role in the electoral process and importance of voting was the theme of a talk held Wednesday here, in an initiative of the provincial department of Family and Promotion of Women, under the "March Woman" journey.

South Africa: Country Supports UN's Anti-Women Abuse Campaign
February 26, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The Minister for Public Service and Administration Geraldine Moleketi has come out in support of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's global campaign to end violence against women.

Zimbabwe: Move to Empower Women Politicians
February 20, 2008 – (AllAfrica) A women empowerment group has started holding training workshops for aspiring women parliamentarians. Women Trust began the programme to empower women candidates yesterday in Harare with 65 aspiring Zanu-PF women MPs in attendance.

Angola: Angola at 52nd UN Meeting On Women
February 20, 2008 – (AllAfrica) An Angolan delegation attends from February 25 to March 07 in New York city (USA), the 52nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, whose topic is "The funding, promotion of gender equality and women autonomy".

Southern Africa: NGOs demand that SADC leaders prove their commitment to gender equality
February 5, 2008 – (Pambazuka News) NGOs meeting in Johannesburg have challenged leaders of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to put their money where their mouths are by adopting a binding protocol for promoting gender equality at their August summit.

South Africa: UN Heads Petition to Curb Gender Violence
January 23, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The United Nations Foundation (UNF) will donate $1 for each of the first 100 000 signatures to an online petition aimed at eliminating violence against women.

Angola: Women Called to Participate in Legislative Elections
January 18, 2008 – (AllAfrica) The secretary general of Angola's ruling MPLA party' Women Wing (OMA), Luzia Inglês Van-Dúnem "Inga", Friday in Luanda, appealed to women to actively participate in the training for leadership and win trust to vote.

South Africa: Govt Must Fund Gender Programmes
January 17, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Government should channel finances towards gender equality and women's empowerment programmes, says Public Service and Administration Minister Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.

South Africa: Schools Must Become Safer for Girls, Says Pandor
January 8, 2008 – (AllAfrica) On the eve of a new school term, Education Minister Naledi Pandor has renewed her commitment to making schools in the country safer, focusing on sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

Zambia: Gender Violence Haunts HIV Positive Women
January 7, 2008 – (AllAfrica) Violence against Zambian women is hindering them from accessing and adhering to HIV treatment, claims a new report by an international human rights group.