WOZA PLANS PROTEST

November 30, 2003 – (Zimbabwe Standard - Harare) A women's group, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (Woza), will next week stage street protests against high prices of food and shortages of basic commodities, which it said were forms of domestic violence.

In a statement on Friday, Woza urged women to descend onto the streets beating pots in protest "so that our message will be delivered with impact.

"Why can Zimbabwe not feed its people? Woza regards this as a form of 'domestic violence'. Let us beat our pots to protest against this form of domestic violence," said the Woza statement.

The march is part of numerous events lined up during the 16 days of activism against domestic violence.

Woza said by beating empty pots, women would be demanding affordable food and that supermarkets stop profiteering from the hungry masses.
Zimbabwe has been experiencing a number of socio-economic and political problems in recent years. However, women, children, the disabled, the terminally ill and the elderly bear the biggest burden, says Woza.

According to the United Nation's World Food Programme about 5,5 million Zimbabweans will be in need of food aid this year.

In the rural areas, most households are now female headed as the husbands are employed or unemployed in urban areas, leaving mothers to fight a lone battle in providing for the family.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200312010636.html