WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY RESOURCES: ZIMBABWE
Civil Society and NGO Reports, Papers and Statements | UN Documents | Government Statements and Reports | Books, Journals and Articles

Civil Society and NGO Reports, Papers and Statements

The crisis in Zimbabwe: A gender perspective
Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID), 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.

The effects of fighting repression WITH LOVE
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), March 2008
The report is a result of research conducted by WOZA on what violations its members have gone through as women human rights defenders and who the perpetrators of these abuses are. The report was launched to make public the findings and to urgently draw attention to the risks faced by women activists as Zimbabwe braces itself for an election. It is intended that those who read the report will be motivated to take action to remedy the damage done to millions of people’s lives by a violent dictatorship.

Defending Women-Defending the Rights of Nation
WOZA, A Preliminary Report on Political Violence Against Members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise, September 2007
This interim report reflects some of the initial findings of a research study of the violence experienced by WOZA members at the hands of state agents. The full report documenting the extent and nature of the violations perpetrated against members of WOZA will be released in due course. This report is issued before the study is completed in order to draw attention to the risks faced by women activists in view of the fact that Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states have recently stated that free and fair elections can be held in Zimbabwe early next year.

Protection Of Human Rights Defenders In Zimbabwe
Amnesty International, Public Statement, 6 May 2005
Amnesty International is particularly concerned by the treatment of human rights defenders belonging to the women's movement, Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). Since February 2003 WOZA activists have repeatedly been arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police while taking part in peaceful demonstrations to protest the worsening social, economic and human rights situation in the country. They have also been arrested while attending private meetings and for engaging in public prayer.

Seminar on Women, HIV/AIDS, Property Rights and Livelihoods in Zimbabwe
Prepared by Lynn Walker, Kate Mhambi and Kaori Izumi, IDS, University of Zimbabwe, Report, 28 June 2004

Turning the Tide
OXFAM-United States of America, 23 April 2004
Currently, there are no laws in Zimbabwe specifically against domestic violence. It is treated like any other case of common assault; perpetrators are leveled with a minimal fine. Wife-beating is often condoned, provided it is not too severe. Even police officers consider it acceptable to "punish" women. This is a reality that the Women's Coalition is seeking to transform.

Land Reform and Gender Issues
Human Rights Watch, New York, March 2002
This report outlines the many human rights abuses caused by the “fast track” land reform program in Zimbabwe. HRW alleges that the reform policies harm the very people it was designed to assist in its report. The report includes an analysis of the gender/women’s rights issues that accompany the controversial land reforms.

AIDS and Gender-based Violence
"Success in Fighting AIDS Hinges on Protecting Rights of Women and Girls", Human Rights Watch, New York, 1 December 2003
Violence and discrimination against women and girls is fueling Africa’s AIDS crisis, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today on World AIDS Day. African governments must make gender equality a central part of national AIDS programs if they are to succeed in fighting the epidemic.

UN Documents

International Conference of Population and Development 1994 (ICPD1994)
Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations, New York/ The Hague, 1998
Outlines the progress made by the country after 4 years of implementations of the ICPD 1994 Programme of Action. The report contains highlights of the progress made in areas of advancement of the status of women and protections of their rights. Click for the presentation to the UN General Assembly (Special Session) and the statement to the Hague Forum.

Concluding Observations on the Zimbabwean Government's Report on the Implementation of CEDAW
Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Concluding Observations and Comments on CEDAW, New York, 14 May 1998
The representative from Zimbabwe expressed her full confidence in her government’s commitment to full implementation of the convention, and highlighted the major steps that have already been taken to advance women’s rights. The committee responded by identifying positive areas of advancement as well as areas of concern; it also put forth suggestions and recommendations for further improvement.

Government Statements and Reports

Report on the Implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Zimbabwean government, CEDAW/C/ZWE/1, 20 July 1996
Considered in the Committee's 18th Session, 1998

Books, Journals and Articles

Women Demand Legislation Against Domestic Violence
December 12, 2004 - (Zimbabwe Standard (Harare) ) Zimbabwean women activists are demanding that government approve a four-year-old Prevention of Domestic Violence Bill. The activists, frustrated with continued delays in the bill's approval, had chosen Friday, the last day of the worldwide campaign dubbed "16 Days of Gender Activism against Domestic Violence" to make their appeal.

Beyond Inequalities: Women in Southern Africa
Bookie Kethusegile, Alice Kwaramba and Barbara Lopi. Harare, Zimbabwe, SARDC-WIDSAA. 2000
"Beyond Inequalities: Women in Southern Africa" provides an overview of the status of women in 12 of the 14 member countries of Southern African Development Community (SADC). Twelve other books in the series provide national gender profiles for each of those countries. The development objective of the series is to improve the status of women in the SADC region through awareness raising and information access. The information is meant for individuals and organisations who want to know the situation of women in Southern Africa and contribute equitably to the development of society and the advancement of all its people. This book is largely aimed at policy-makers, researchers, media, development agencies and the non-governmental sector who have bemoaned the lack of information on the status of women to serve as a basis for mainstreaming gender in development

An Analysis of Women's Rights Under The Land Reform Programme in Zimbabwe
Mildred Mushunje. Harare: Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT), 2004
This book looks at the background to the land Question in Africa/Zimbabwe aganist the background of colonialism. It also examines the legal framework of Women's Access to Land in Zimbabwe.

Written in the revolution(s): Zimbabwean Women in the National War of Liberation
Tanya Lyons. Bellville, 13-15 January 1997
Paper presented at conference on "Gender and Colonialism in Southern Africa, U of Western Cape, Bellville, 13-15 January.

Women are Left Out in Shaping the Truth of this Struggle: Gender and the Land in Three Zimbabwean
Yvonne Vera and Eva Hunter. United Kingdom, 1998
Paper presented at Women's Studies Network (UK) Conference, University of Lincolnshire & Humberside, Hull, UK, 14-16 July 1998

For better of Worse: Women and Zanla in Zimbabwe's Liberation Struggle
Josephine Nhongo-Simbanegavi. Harare: Weaver Press, 2000
An analysis of women's experiences with ZANLA during the war of independence. Challenges official orthodoxy that a gender revolution occurred in this period and that a generation of liberated women emerged from the struggle.

Determined to Act
Women's Action Group
This short account of the founding of Women's Action Group (WAG) marks the fifteenth year of our existence. They began when a small group of black and white women came together to protest the massive violation of women's rights which took place in October 1983. This story demonstrates how anyone who is determined to act can challenge established society and entrenched assumptions and make the voice of the disempowered heard. It may also at last put to rest the belief that WAG is composed of anti-family and anti-men marriage wreckers. See website for how to order/ contact information.

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