Despite the significant progress made in the area of policy and legislation reform, the legal, socio - economic and political status of women remain relatively low, a report by the UNFPA has noted. (Pictured: Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe is one of the few women who have a t
Most women do not exercise the rights that laws specifically guaranteed them, among other factors due to ignorance of the law, its administration, economic hardships that make it difficult to pursue their legal rights, cumbersome court procedures and customary laws and fear of breaking valued relations with family kin, it said.
In the 1998 Human Development Report, Zimbabwe was described as a “highly unequal society”, which is a reflection of the general low status of women in terms of access, control, ownership of economic resources and positions in decision making processes.
Women’s representation in key decision making positions in both the public and private sector, in spite of recent improvements, still remains relatively low.
Quota system
Political parties have adopted a quota system which has seen an increase in women representation in politics although this is still below the 30% quota set by the Africa Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the 50/50 gender parity in the SADC Protocol on Gender. In the 2005 parliament there were 24 women out of a total of 150 members. At the initiation of the inclusive government in 2009 women representation in Cabinet increased from 13% to 20%. This includes the female Vice President, President of Senate and Deputy Prime Minister.
Women also have limited control over their sexual and reproductive health and still lack the education and access to information, which are key to their empowerment. Due to the poor economic base women are exposed to risky behaviour, which increases their vulnerability to Gender Based Violence and HIV and AIDS.
The 2007 National HIV estimates concluded that of the adult prevalence rate of15.6%, 60% is women. An estimated 46% women reported physical and or sexual violence in 2005.
Violence against women remains a challenge and is sustained by prevailing negative socio – cultural practices, attitudes, values, norms and believes as well as the weak implementation of laws and policies, the report noted.
Women play a critical role in sustainable development. When they are educated and healthy, their families, communities and countries benefit. Yet gender based violence (GBV) undermine opportunities for women and deny them the ability to fully utilise their basic human rights.
UNFPA in Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen institutional mechanisms and socio cultural practices that promote and protect rights of women and girls and advance gender equality.
Conventions for women
The Zimbabwean government is a signatory to various regional and international conventions, treaties, declarations and protocols that seek to promote and create an enabling environment for the attainment of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
These include, the Convention on the Elimination of All forms of Violence Against Women (CEDAW) (1991), the Convention on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR); the Global Platform for Action and the Beijing Declaration (1995).
In 1997, Zimbabwe signed the SADC Declaration on Gender and Development as well as its addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence Against Women and Children. The Legal Age of Majority Act, the Matrimonial Causes Act, the Sexual Discrimination Removal Act, the Sexual Offences Act and the Domestic Violence Act were some of the legislation put in place to promote gender equality and protect women’s rights.
The National Gender Policy (2002) provide guidelines and the institutional framework to engender all sectoral policies, programmes, projects and activities at all levels of the society and economy. Gender focal points have been established in all ministries and parastatals to spearhead gender mainstreaming. In 1995 the government created the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development (MWAGCD) to oversee coordination of all gender programmes and to facilitate gender mainstreaming in all sector ministries.
UNFPA said its gender programme in Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen institutional mechanisms and socio cultural practices that promote and protect rights of women and girls and advance gender equality through advocating for policies that protect women’s rights. These include supporting implementation of the Domestic Violence Act; gender based violence (GBV) prevention and service provision for GBV survivors; and promoting GBV data collection.
UNFPA has partnered with the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Gender and Community Development. The main focus of its activities with UNFPA is policy advocacy and implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.
It also works with the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA), a NGO made up of women lawyers that works to improve the status of women and children through utilisation of the law. It also works to amend laws and policies that do not accord women the right of recognition as equal members of society.
Other organisations include Padare, an anti – sexist men’s organisation and Musasa Project, a civic organisation whose vision is to have a society free from GBV. It provides counselling, public education and training and shelter to survivors of GBV.
Achievements to date
In collaboration with the womens Ministry, UN Agencies and civic organisations, UNFPA successfully advocated for enactment of the Domestic Violence Act which came into effect on 8 March 2007. This has been a major stepping stone in GBV programming in Zimbabwe.
UNFPA has also supported the establishment of the Anti Domestic Violence Council, conducted a multi – media awareness raising campaign on GBV including domestic violence and its interface with HIV, sensitisation of communities on GBV and the Domestic Violence Act.
It has also supported training of police officers including Victim Friendly officers, Officers in Charge on implementation of the Domestic Violence Act and victim friendly handling of GBV cases, training of judiciary officers in all provinces and training of traditional leaders on their role in the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act.
UNFPA is the current chair of the UN Gender Theme Group. It has been chair for three consecutive years. In collaboration with UNIFEM, UNFPA continuously support the commemoration of the International Women’s Day and 16 Days of Activism.
It continuously build the capacity of women parliamentarians to bring policy gaps in reproductive health, gender, HIV and AIDS and adolescents sexual and reproductive health rights
In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and AIDS & TB Unit, UNFPA has been instrumental in the development of management of rape survivors guidelines as well as coordination of multisectoral training workshops on GBV and management of rape within the country.
It supported establishment of an Adult Rape clinic within the premises of Parirenyatwa hospital.
In partnership with International Organisation for Migration provided GBV response and prevention services to mobile and vulnerable communities including cross border migrants at the Zimbabwe / SA border.
Current key initiatives or interventions
The objective of this project is to increase access to life saving, multi-sectoral response services with an emphasis on health, psychosocial and legal support of adult and child survivors of GBV. Due to the current challenges the country is facing in provision of basic health, police and legal services, the focus of the project is to strengthen existing services to enable them to integrate victim friendly services.
Key activities are training of multi-sectoral teams of nurses, doctors, prosecutors, police and social workers to enhance their understanding of survivor centred approaches, referral and coordination mechanisms, refurbishment of relevant assessment and counselling rooms at hospitals and debriefing rooms at police stations in selected districts and development of standard operating procedures linking law enforcement and health services in the selected six localities.
The womens Ministry is coordinating the process and an memorandum of understanding has been signed with three Non Governmental Organisation partners.
UNFPA within the UN Gender Theme Group adopted a joint work plan to support the constitutional reform, national healing and reconciliation. These are part of the key national transitional priorities set out by the Global Political Agreement. The gender theme group seeks to utilise these processes to ensure accelerated implementation of CEDAW, AU protocols, SADC Gender and Development Protocol and MDGs.
Key outputs include institutional capacity development of relevant government ministries to coordinate women, boys’ and girls’ participation in the constitution making process, strengthened capacities of traditional and religious leaders, parliamentarians, civil society and the media to advocate for gender equality and women’s, girls and boys demands in the constitution.
Other outputs included developing institutional capacity for constitutional bodies to articulate and incorporate issues identified by women, boys and girls in the constitution, enhanced participation and representation of women, girls and boys in national healing and reconciliation. UNFPA
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