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FAMWZ and the Women's Movement
Federation of African Media Women - Zimbabwe (FAMWZ)
November 21, 2002

The Women's Movement in Zimbabwe comprises women's organisations that operate without synergy with little or no access to the media to disseminate their views and information about their activities. For this reason, the dissemination of information to policy-makers and planners by women is at present not systematic, nor coordinated or sustained over time.

This detracts from the synergy between, and the potential impact of the organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This renders the women's movement somewhat less effective than it could be if it spoke with a combined voice and if it had adequate access to the media.

FAMWZ, has therefore endeavored to go the extra mile towards making visible the contributions of the women in the national debate and action on HIV/AIDS. Here are some of the examples of what some WOs and other organizations that are doing work in the area of HIV/AIDS.

• Network for Zimbabwean Positive Women (NZPW+)
  The Network for Zimbabwean Positive Women, formed in July 1998 is run by and for positive women with the aim of holistically empowering them so that they are able to deal with the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
  
  The network offers psychological support to women living HIV/AIDS, financial empowerment skills training, organisational development and advocacy. The organisation also works with women from grassroots level in the fight against AIDS.
  
  Currently, NZPW+ is involved in the Stepping Stones Workshop, which is being used to facilitate the development of networking and advocacy platforms, including advocating for identified policies and practices that will lead to the identification of AIDS as a gender issue.
  
  
• Women and Aids Support Network (WASN)
  WASN is an organisation that seeks to address the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls in the area of HIV/AIDS.
  
  Its main objective is to conduct research-based advocacy on women and HIV/AIDS and other related issues in order to create an atmosphere in which women enjoy their full sexual and reproductive health rights.
  
  Amongst its other programmes, WASN has a Women's Programme which seeks to empower women in the area of HIV/AIDS by making women realise their value and worth.
  
  
• Zimbabwe Women's Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN)
  ZWRCN is a non-governmental organisation working in the field of gender and development. The mission of ZWRCN is "to enable women to make informed decisions about selected aspects of their lives (political, economic, social, public and private spheres) and act accordingly".
  
  Among some of the work of the organisation is the AIDS Levy Project, which aims at analysing and advocating for gender dimensions in the implementation of the HIV/AIDS policy and the disbursement of the National AIDS Trust Fund (NATF). The project aims at lobbying for access to financial resources and better the lives for both men and women.
  
  
• Women's Action Group (WAG)
  WAG is a trust whose mission is "to advocate and defend women's rights in Zimbabwe and to provide them with the tools and inspiration to assert those rights".
  
  Through its Health Information Programme (HIP), the organisation aims at raising awareness of the existence of the AIDS Levy and to lobby and advocate communities to actively participate in the decision-making structures which determine the distribution and the use of the AIDS Levy. WAG also trains locals in the care of people infected with the pandemic and the terminally ill as well as providing Home Based Care Kits.
  
  
• Women and Law in Southern Africa Research and Education Trust (WLSA)
  WLSA's mission is to contribute to the sustained well-being of women within families and societies. The Trust is found in seven countries namely Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana.
  
  Currently, WLSA is undertaking research on Gender, HIV/AIDS and the Law. This research was prompted by previous WLSA researches, which have highlighted problems and constraints women face with regards to HIV/AIDS.
  
  The study seeks to address the issue of transmission from a human rights perspective and how the law can curb transmission. The study is justified by the fact that HIV/AIDS poses serious developmental crises in Southern Africa.
  
  
• Musasa Project
  Since its inception in 1998, Musasa Project's main activities have involved public education, counselling and sheltering of women survivors of domestic violence and research on the subject.
  
  Musasa also assists women living with domestic violence to acquire skills and knowledge they can use to prevent or deal with HIV/AIDS infection. The objective is to address domestic violence, sexually transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS in an attempt to empower women to take control of their sexuality and prevent exposure to predisposing risk factors.
  
  Musasa also works with communities and AIDS service organisations, building their capacity to address gender issues, in particular domestic violence, in their AIDS programmes through regional and local clinics.
  
  
• Mashambanzou Care Trust
  Mashambanzou is a trust which, is committed to giving care and support to people affected by HIV/AIDS in the high density areas of Harare.
  
  Mashambanzou acts to empower people with the knowledge and skill to deal affirmatively and effectively with HIV/AIDS as it touches their daily individual lives and those of the community.
  
  
• Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN)
  In an effort to respond to the pandemic, ZAN takes on a role of being the driver for Zimbabwe's national response towards the reduction of HIV/AIDS in the country through a national and provincial network of stakeholders. These include non-governmental and faith-based organisations, the public and the private sector.
  
  ZAN seeks to develop the capacity of its members through lobbying and advocacy in issues relating to HIV/AIDS and it also promotes information sharing and effective mobilisation and use of resources for the Network.
  
  ZAN's activities are meant to compliment and reinforce other behaviour change interventions, thus fostering greater openness about HIV/AIDS through active participation of all members and stakeholders, including Government, by helping communities to identify their needs and to design strategies to meet those needs.
  
  
• United Nations Information Centre (UNIC)
  As an active link between the United Nations and the local media, educational institutions and non-governmental organisations, UNIC provides up-to-date information material on the aims and activities of the United Nations in the political, economic, social and humanitarian fields.
  
  The United Nations Information Centre in Harare has distributed and continues to distribute information on HIV/AIDS countrywide through the media, educational institutions and NGOs.
  
  Among its activities, in January 2001, UNIC worked with a media consultant to produce a UN System newsletter, CHIEDZA/ISIBANE highlighting issues on HIV/AIDS which, was well received countrywide, especially by the youth.
  
  UNIC has also translated the Declaration of Commitment, which was endorsed at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in New York from 25 to 27 June 2001, into Shona and Ndebele and is currently in the process of distributing it.
  
  
• Centre for Disease Control (Zimbabwe)
  The Centre for Disease Control (Zimbabwe) works on HIV and TB through CDCs Global AIDS Programmme (GAP). The Harare based agency began in December 2000 under the Global AIDS Programmme of the United States government, which seeks to assist hard hit countries to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
  
  In Zimbabwe, the CDC works primarily under the auspices and supports the leadership of the National Aids Council (NAC) and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.
  
  However, because the needed response to HIV/AIDS is multi-sectoral, CDC also collaborates with other ministries and several non-governmental organisations.
  
  Its objectives include the reduction of HIV transmission through prevention of sexual, mother-to-child, and blood-borne transmission and to improve the quality and coverage of care for HIV/AIDS/STIs and opportunistic infections.
  
  
• The Centre
  The Centre is a gender-neutral organization that shelters people infected with HIV/AIDS.
  
  Its major activities include counselling and support as well as Home-Based Care for the AIDS victims.
  
  The Centre is also involved in advocacy and lobbying, providing training on survival skills to the patients.
  
  Above all, the Centre also endeavors to provide nutritional guidance by encouraging the consumption of wholesome foods to those who suffer from the pandemic.

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