It catalogues the escalating campaign of violence, mostly by Zanu (PF), the military and the police, against women from 2008 to the present.
The MDC women’s assembly told the researchers that they cannot campaign openly without fear of violence.
President Robert Mugabe himself, far from being a unifying force in our country, is an instigator and patron of politically-motivated violence, according to the report.
The report says politics in Zimbabwe is not about liberating women, it is about entrenching oppression and silencing them.
It concluded that women have generally been excluded from the current political discourse – moreso in rural areas.
Women in Zimbabwe have borne the brunt of the worst forms of politically motivated violence. In nearly all cases, the perpetrators are men.
What is most distressing is that men in positions of leadership are saying nothing and doing nothing about this abomination.
Out of fear of more violence or ostracization by the community, women themselves are forced to accept their oppression and suffering as natural and unavoidable, according to the report. Their consequent silence, combined with the indifference of men, has produced a favourable breeding space for even more violence.
Politically motivated rape and vicious beatings have been prevalent, particularly during 2008 – but they continue to this day. But the abuse takes many other forms as well.
Mugabe was singled out in the report for verbal abuse against women. For example, he made an unwarranted verbal attack on Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambila.
That this kind of abominable behaviour is tolerated in our society is utterly shameful. More than 50% of Zimbabweans are women – they therefore have considerable power at election time and they should use this to vote out men who don’t actively champion their rights.
The ongoing viciousness of the police in confronting the peacefully demonstrating women of WOZA is yet another case in point.
The whole subject of violence against women should be a key component of security sector reform, without which elections must not be permitted to take place. In addition, male politicians must speak out in defence of women and be seen to be tackling this unacceptable behaviour.
Post published in: Editor: Wilf Mbanga